Page 145 – The Times Of Central Asia

26 Aug 2025

Home, Life & Culture, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kazakhstan, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees

Almaty to Open Central Asia’s First Private Museum of Contemporary Art

August 26, 2025
By Tamila Olzhbaekova

Almaty is preparing for a cultural milestone of international significance. In September 2025, the Almaty Museum of Arts will open its doors as the first private museum of contemporary art in Central Asia. The project is poised to reshape Kazakhstan’s cultural landscape and position Almaty as a new regional hub for artists, curators, and global audiences.

Architecture and Concept

The 10,000-square-meter building was designed by British firm Chapman Taylor, in collaboration with Buro Happold and Lord Cultural Resources. The architectural concept draws on Almaty’s unique identity: stone elements evoke the surrounding mountains, while metal structures reflect the city’s dynamism. Together, they create a space where art exists in a dialogue with both nature and urban life.

The museum will include permanent and temporary exhibition halls, artist studios, educational auditoriums, a performance venue, a restoration laboratory, a café, and a museum shop.

Image: Almaty Museum of Arts

Investment and Collection

The project is valued at approximately $100 million, with $30 million allocated for construction and $70 million for building the collection and outfitting the museum. The collection already comprises more than 700 works, spanning Kazakh and Central Asian artists as well as internationally renowned figures such as Yayoi Kusama, Alicja Kwade, Richard Serra, Yinka Shonibare, and Bill Viola.

One permanent installation has already captured the public’s attention: Nades, a 12-meter sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, stands at the museum’s main entrance. Depicting a young girl with her eyes closed, the artwork has sparked mixed reactions. Museum founder Nurlan Smagulov described it as a symbol of the “strength, dignity, and beauty of women.” While some praised its serenity and conceptual elegance, others questioned its cost and originality. Regardless, Nades has succeeded in igniting a public discourse, something all meaningful art aspires to, making the museum a topic of national conversation before its official opening.

Image: Almaty Museum of Arts

Curators and Opening Program

Meruert Kalieva, founder of Almaty’s Aspan Gallery, has been appointed artistic director. The museum’s chief curator will be Inga Lāce, formerly of the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art and a contributor to the Venice Biennale.

The inaugural program includes: “I Understand Everything” – a solo exhibition by Kazakh artist Almagul Menlibayeva, tracing her work since the 1980s, and “Qonaqtar” – a group exhibition exploring themes of hospitality and migration, curated from the museum’s growing collection.

Aisha Galimbaeva, “Shepherd’s Wedding”, 1965; image: Almaty Museum of Arts

Role for the City and the Region

The Almaty Museum of Arts aims to serve as a bridge between Central Asia and the global contemporary art world. Beyond exhibitions, it will function as an educational platform, hosting lectures, masterclasses, and programming for children and students.

The institution is expected to boost the local art scene while drawing international visitors, contributing to the creation of a new cultural district in Almaty. More broadly, it signals Central Asia’s readiness to participate fully in global artistic discourse. Almaty stands to emerge as the cultural capital of the region, with the museum itself symbolizing Kazakhstan’s modernity, hospitality, and creative vitality.

As one installation has already demonstrated, if a single artwork can inspire debate and reflection, the full unveiling of the museum is likely to resonate far beyond Kazakhstan’s borders.

26 Aug 2025

International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs

Kyrgyzstan and China to Expand Healthcare Cooperation

August 26, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

China is exploring investment opportunities in Kyrgyzstan’s healthcare sector, including the construction of a pharmaceutical plant using locally grown medicinal herbs and the establishment of a medical equipment assembly facility, according to Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Health.

These prospects were discussed during a meeting in Bishkek between Kyrgyz Health Minister Erkin Checheybaev and a Belt and Road healthcare investment coordinator from Xinjiang Medical University in Urumqi.

The talks focused on deepening healthcare cooperation within the framework of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Key proposals included:

Supplying high-tech medical equipment to Kyrgyz hospitals and clinics
Establishing medical simulation centers and equipping Kyrgyz medical universities through grant support
Offering fully funded bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in China for Kyrgyz students
Creating a Kyrgyz-Chinese Center for Traditional Medicine

Similar centers currently operate in Pakistan and Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan may soon join this regional network under the “Silk Road for Traditional Medicine” initiative.

China also signaled its willingness to provide educational materials and dispatch specialists to train Kyrgyz medical professionals in traditional Chinese medicine practices.

26 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan

South Korea to Support Health and Nutrition in Kyrgyz Schools

August 26, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in partnership with Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Education, has launched a new initiative aimed at improving health and nutrition in schools by incorporating locally produced agricultural products into school meals.

According to KOICA’s Kyrgyzstan office, the project will directly benefit approximately 16,000 students and local farmers across the regions of Osh, Jalal-Abad, Chui, Naryn, and Batken.

The project aims to enhance children’s health through fortified school meals, upgraded school infrastructure, and capacity-building programs for school personnel.

With a total budget of $10 million, the program will run until 2028. It will support the renovation of kitchens and dining areas, the construction of toilets, the installation of handwashing stations, and the delivery of educational programs on healthy eating, meal procurement, health, and hygiene in approximately 40 schools.

In addition, the project includes training for local agricultural cooperatives on crop cultivation, post-harvest handling, and operational management, alongside the development of model farms.

A key component of the initiative is expanding access to clean water and ensuring that hygiene and sanitation services are adequate, inclusive, and gender-sensitive.

This is not KOICA’s first investment in Kyrgyzstan’s development. Earlier, The Times of Central Asia reported on a separate $10 million project launched by KOICA to improve air quality in the country, with a particular focus on Bishkek.

26 Aug 2025

Business & Economy, Home

Rising Cost of Private Education in Central Asia Widens Wealth Gap

August 26, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

The cost of private education in Central Asia continues to rise sharply, increasingly making it an option reserved for the region’s wealthiest families, according to a report by Akchabar.

Once a rarity, private schools have proliferated across the region over the past decade, driven by parental demand for smaller class sizes, enhanced discipline, improved safety, and individualized learning. Many institutions now offer full-day programs that include lessons, supervised homework, and extracurricular activities ranging from robotics and IT to sports and languages. In cases of academic decline, private tutors are assigned to help students catch up, services rarely available in the public sector.

Kyrgyzstan

The number of private schools in Kyrgyzstan has risen from 152 in 2020 to 224 in 2024. Annual fees vary widely: Smart School charges approximately $2,861 per year, while Indigo Sapat starts at $4,500. Tensai International School costs up to $9,600 annually, and BIS ranks among the most expensive at $15,000. More affordable options include Avenir International, with monthly fees between $423 and $480.

To address overcrowding in public schools, particularly in Bishkek and Osh, the government has begun easing licensing procedures for private institutions.

Kazakhstan

In Almaty, tuition rates also span a wide range. Baiterek School charges $274 per month, while Koula.kz costs $443. Tamos Space School offers an annual program for nearly $4,900. Premium institutions such as Miras International School Almaty charge between $9,600 and $12,927 per year, while Galaxy International starts at $8,319.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s private education market is expanding rapidly. Artel TS charges $358 per month, while Diplomat International reaches up to $628. Wise School costs $437 per month, and Oxbridge International remains among the most affordable at $752 per year for primary classes. At the top end, CIS Tashkent stands as the region’s most expensive school, with tuition ranging from $19,000 to over $24,000 annually.

Tajikistan

Private school fees are particularly high relative to average incomes. At Empire of Knowledge, annual tuition starts at $2,362 for lower grades and rises to $2,545 for upper grades. Ruyo School offers separate programs: English-language instruction costs $2,899 per year, while the Russian-language track is around $2,577. Meanwhile, Shakhsiyat School charges approximately $1,610 annually for Tajik- or Russian-language instruction, and nearly $1,933 for the English-language track.

A Growing Divide

Despite the range of offerings, private school costs remain out of reach for most families. In Uzbekistan, where the average monthly wage is about $476, even mid-tier private schools amount to several months of income, while top schools charge more than $20,000 per year. In Tajikistan, where average monthly wages stand at around $279, tuition starting at $1,600 is unaffordable for the vast majority of households.

For wealthier families, however, private education has become both an investment and a marker of social status, with the choice of school often carrying as much weight as profession or income.

26 Aug 2025

Home, Uzbekistan, Life & Culture, Uzbekistan Features, Uzbekistan Life & Culture

Uzbekistan Eyes Paulo Bento as National Team Coach Amid Ambitious Football Reforms

August 27, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

Reports regarding Uzbekistan’s search for a new head coach for its national football team have taken a significant turn, with Paulo Bento, former manager of South Korea and Portugal, emerging as a leading candidate, according to Football-Asian.

The Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA) is seeking a seasoned tactician to lead the team during its landmark debut at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Initial approaches to high-profile names such as Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning coach Joachim Löw and veteran Turkish manager Fatih Terim failed to yield results. Attention has since shifted to Bento, a 56-year-old Portuguese coach with a strong international and club-level résumé.

Bento previously guided Portugal to the semi-finals of Euro 2012 and led South Korea to the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. His coaching career also includes stints with clubs in Portugal, Brazil, Greece, and China, as well as a recent tenure with the UAE national team. For Uzbekistan, which qualified for the World Cup for the first time this year, Bento’s tournament experience and tactical acumen are considered valuable assets.

“Whether Bento accepts the challenge of leading Central Asia’s standard-bearers remains to be seen, but the very fact he is in the frame underlines Uzbekistan’s determination to think big,” Football-Asian reported.

Current manager, Timur Kapadze, who led Uzbekistan to their first World Cup finals appearance, has dismissed rumors that he is to be replaced. “No one from the Football Association has informed me of anything. There was no talk about bringing someone in. It’s hard for me to comment on this news,” Kapadze stated.

Domestic Football Reforms Underway

In parallel with their reported search for a new coach, Uzbekistan is undertaking structural reforms to strengthen its football development pipeline. A recent presidential decree mandates the creation of a “Legionnaires’ Club” under the UFA, aimed at uniting Uzbek footballers and specialists with experience abroad.

These members will collaborate with local academies and football schools to share their expertise. In support of these efforts, state-owned land plots will be allocated under public-private partnerships to help them establish football academies and clubs throughout the country.

26 Aug 2025

Business & Economy, Tajikistan Business Economy, Tajikistan

Tajikistan Average Salary Rises but Trails Behind Central Asia

August 26, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

Tajikistan has recorded a rise in both nominal and real average wages, yet the country continues to report the lowest salary levels in Central Asia. The income gap with Kazakhstan and Russia remains especially pronounced.

Nominal and Real Wages

In June 2025, the average nominal monthly wage in Tajikistan reached 3,136.12 somoni ($314), marking a 21.4% year-on-year increase, according to the Statistics Agency under the President of Tajikistan. However, the minimum wage remained unchanged at 800 somoni ($88).

Adjusted for inflation and purchasing power, real wages grew by 17.2% compared to June 2024.

Economists stress the importance of distinguishing between nominal and real wages: while nominal wages reflect contractual earnings, real wages indicate actual purchasing capacity.

Agricultural workers remained the lowest-paid group, with an average income of 1,082.31 somoni ($119). In contrast, employees in financial intermediation and insurance earned the highest wages, averaging 7,703.32 somoni ($847) per month.

Regional Comparisons

Despite the wage increases, Tajikistan lags behind its neighbors.

In Kyrgyzstan, the average salary between January and June 2025 was 42,020 soms ($481), a 19.6% increase over the previous year.

In Uzbekistan, the average wage reached 5.98 million soums ($484) by mid-year, up 17.2% from the same period in 2024.

Kazakhstan reported an average monthly salary of 423,133 tenge ($790) in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting a 10.7% increase.

Meanwhile, in Russia, average wages stood at 99,422 rubles ($1,231) as of May 2025.

Tajikistan’s average salary is nearly four times lower than Russia’s and less than half of Kazakhstan’s, highlighting its continued economic disparity within the region.