DUSHANBE, January 25, Asia-Plus - State and prospects of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran in the filed of education, science and culture were major topics at a January 25 meeting of Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov with visiting Iranian Education Minister Mahmoud Farshidi in Dushanbe.  Tajik Education Minister Abdujabbor Rahmonov also attended the meeting.   

Iranian minister told journalists following his meeting with President Rahmonov that their talks focused on student exchange programs and use of modern technologies in the field of education and information.  Asked about the establishment of Iranian educational complex in Tajikistan, Farshidi said that an agreement on this subject had already been reached and textbooks for this educational facility will be published both in Arabic and Cyrillic scripts.  “The Government of Tajikistan will provide place for this educational institution and the Education Ministry of Iran will finance it,” Farshidi said     

Tajik Education Minister speaking to journalists noted that textbooks on studying Arabic Script for 4 ^th -, 5 ^th – and 6 ^th -form pupils with a total circulation of 400,000 copies had been published in Iran.  “Next month, we will distribute the textbooks to schools across the country,” Abdujabbor Rahmonov said.   

Asked about the possibility of shifting to the Arabic script, Tajik education minister noted that this process requires long time and considerable funds.  “For Tajikistan’s making shift to the Arabic script people should be able to read and write in the Arabic script,” said the minister, “Therefore textbooks on the Tajik literature for senior pupils will contains text both in the Cyrillic and Arabic scripts.”   

Abdujabbor Rahmonov also noted that Iran will annually allot Tajikistan a quota of 100 students starting from the next year.  “Tajik students will study at higher educational institutions in Iran various disciplines, including medicine, power engineering and natural sciences,” Rahmonov said.