DUSHANBE, May 28, Asia-Plus - Tajik ministry of education (MoE), UNDP CO in Tajikistan and Higher Education Support Program of Tajik Branch of Open Society Institute (OSI) will hold a roundtable meeting formally titled “Concept of National Testing System on Entering Higher Educational Institutions” in Dushanbe on May 29.  

Rukhshona Olimova, media program coordinator also PR-specialist with Tajik Branch of OSI, said that the main objective of the meeting is to discuss the concept and prepare recommendations on it.  

According to her, the draft concept has been worked out by a group of teachers at Tajik higher educational institutions and MoE officials under consultative support of Dr. Algidras Zabulionis from Anglia-Assessment Ltd (Great Britain).  

She added that introduction of a new testing system is conditioned by the fact that system of entrance examinations has not changed in Tajikistan since Soviet time and it currently does not meet modern standards. 

The new system will also facilitate reducing corruption, nepotism and other negative phenomena during entrance examinations as well as providing equal access to education. 

The meeting participants include representatives from President’s Executive Office, MoE, NGOs, UNDP CO in Tajikistan, Tajik Branch of OSI, as well as heads of a number of Tajik higher educational institutions.