A group of deputies in Kyrgyzstan’s Jogorku Kenesh, the national parliament, has drafted legislative amendments aimed at attracting foreign teachers and modernizing the country’s educational infrastructure through new legal and economic incentives.
The proposed amendments were submitted for parliamentary consideration.
Under the draft legislation, foreign teachers working in Kyrgyzstan would be exempt from income tax and mandatory social security payments. The bill would also grant foreign educators the right to obtain temporary residence permits.
Additional measures include tax incentives for educational institutions and exemptions from value-added tax (VAT) on imported educational equipment.
The authors of the amendments argue that modernizing Kyrgyzstan’s education system will require the introduction of international teaching standards, digital technologies, and updated educational programs. They say the process will also require the involvement of highly qualified specialists, including foreign teachers with international experience.
According to the lawmakers, the proposed legislation is intended to help implement advanced teaching methods and global educational practices, improve student training, create a more competitive academic environment, and strengthen the intellectual potential of younger generations without requiring students to study abroad.
The bill’s explanatory note states that a shortage of qualified teachers in schools and universities remains one of the key challenges facing Kyrgyzstan’s education system.
The shortage comes as the country experiences a steady increase in student numbers and mounting pressure on educational infrastructure.
According to official figures cited in the draft legislation, Kyrgyzstan had 2,175 public schools and 219 private schools in 2025, serving a total of 1,526,800 students with 108,006 teaching staff.
The country also has 32 public universities and 41 private universities.
