Alignment of Pre-Service Teacher Education with National Education Reform Agendas in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s national education reforms, anchored in the 2019 Concept of Development of Public Education until 2030 (Presidential Decree UP-5712) and reinforced by the 2023–2026 Partnership Compact for Education Reform, target top-30 PISA ranking by 2030, 80% preschool enrollment, and competency-based, inclusive curricula. Pre-service teacher education (PSTE), historically fragmented and theoretically oriented, has been restructured through Presidential Decree UP-73 (28 April 2025), which establishes the National Pedagogical University of Uzbekistan (based on Tashkent State Pedagogical University named after Nizami), centralizes pedagogical higher education institutions under the Ministry of Preschool and School Education (MoPSE), mandates dual-education models, abolishes correspondence programs for pedagogical training, and integrates professional standards with succession between pre- and in-service pathways. This study employs a policy analysis framework to examine alignment across governance, curriculum, practicum, and quality assurance. Data draw from official decrees, the Partnership Compact (estimating needs for 50,000–75,000 new preschool teachers by 2026), and implementation evidence such as the British Council PRESETT program. Findings reveal strengthened governance coherence and emerging practicum intensity (e.g., “4+2” format expansion), but persistent gaps in trainer capacity, standardized practicum hours, full integration of Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) and National Curriculum Framework (NCF) competencies, and outcome monitoring. Recommendations include mandating 600+ practicum hours with mentoring, embedding performance-based assessments, and establishing a unified quality-assurance mechanism. The analysis underscores that while 2025 reforms advance structural alignment, implementation fidelity remains critical for realizing reform goals.