Kyrgyzstan Suspends Private Driving Schools in Bid to Improve Road Safety
Kyrgyzstan has temporarily suspended the operations of all private driving schools as part of a sweeping reform aimed at improving driver education and road safety. On January 29, President Sadyr Japarov signed a decree introducing a trial period, effective until August 30, 2026, during which driver training will be conducted exclusively through state-run driving schools. The reform also mandates a significant extension of the training period from the current 2.5 months to 10 months. Authorities say the new measures are designed to reduce traffic accidents and eliminate corruption in the issuance of driver's licenses. As of 2025, Kyrgyzstan had 340 driving schools, including 74 state-run institutions and 266 privately operated ones. Officials cite systemic issues in the private sector, including substandard instruction, widespread corruption, and the illegal sale of licenses. Daiyrbek Orunbekov, Head of the Information Policy Service under the Presidential Administration, addressed public concerns over the extended training period in a Facebook post on January 29. He emphasized that the 10-month program is intended solely to improve driver competence and reduce accidents. “A driver who has acquired sufficient knowledge poses no danger to themselves, passengers, or other road users,” Orunbekov wrote. Under the new model, instruction will include both theoretical and practical training held two to three times per week, with each session lasting two to three hours. Some classes may be offered online. The curriculum will also cover psychological preparation and road ethics. In response to critics who argue that the current 2.5-month course is adequate, Orunbekov said that meaningful learning cannot occur in such a short timeframe. He cited international practices, noting that in many developed countries, driver training takes significantly longer. In Finland, the process can last up to a year and includes a probationary license period; in Germany, it ranges from six to twelve months; in Sweden and Norway, up to a year; and in the United Kingdom, Canada, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, it can take up to two years. The reform follows concerning national road safety data. In 2025 alone, Kyrgyzstan recorded 8,456 traffic accidents, resulting in 900 deaths and 12,169 injuries. Over the past decade, more than 75,000 accidents have claimed over 9,000 lives. According to Orunbekov, many current drivers lack even basic knowledge of traffic regulations and, in some cases, cannot recall where they were trained. He described this as a lingering consequence of a flawed and often corrupt driver education system.
