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Education

Turkmenistan Sets New Rules for Mobile Devices in Schools

In 2020, Turkmenistan’s schools banned the use of mobile phones during classes. Now the government has introduced new rules regulating the use of portable devices in academic settings, seeking to use them as learning tools while addressing concerns about distraction and other potentially negative effects on students. A Ministry of Education order recognizes the value of mobile devices in education, saying they must provide access to learning resources, including multimedia content, and help students organize files that contain textbooks, courses, and other materials in electronic form. The devices must improve “the quality of educational management, especially in educational systems that do not have access to an internet connection,” the order says. However, the ministry order urges educational institutions to be aware of “the potential harm to students' health of small-screen mobile devices that limit the types and amounts of information,” the need to provide storage for mobile devices and the fact that bandwidth capacity decreases when a lot of users connect to the wireless network. It also mandates “ethical rules” that are designed to avoid disruption – setting devices to “silent” or “flight” mode and barring video, photo or audio recordings of students and teaching staff without their permission. The ministry issued the order on May 19 and the Ministry of Justice registered it in early June. In a report in March, UNESCO said that global monitoring showed that 114 education systems had a national ban on mobile phones in schools, representing 58% of countries worldwide. That was a significant increase over 40% in 2025 and just 24% in 2023, according to the U.N. cultural agency. “The growth reflects mounting concerns about declining attention in classrooms, cyberbullying, and the broader influence of digital environments on children,” UNESCO said. But it noted that the global picture was nuanced, with not all countries opting for full bans and instead establishing policies that govern the use of mobile devices in schools. The agency said that the various approaches to mobile device usage in schools show that “countries are still searching for the right balance between limiting distraction and teaching responsible technology use.” Turkmenistan’s new order applies to smartphones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, and other personal electronic devices, and comes amid wider school digitalization efforts. The country maintains tight controls over internet access and online content.

AI in Education

Turkmenistan Looks to OpenAI as it Modernizes Education

Officials from Turkmenistan have met with OpenAI to discuss the use of artificial intelligence in the country’s education system. The London meeting between a delegation from Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Education and OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, took place during the Education World Forum 2026 this week, according to state media. The forum is a major annual gathering in which governments, the private sector, international NGOs, and others network and discuss ways of improving education systems. The meeting between ministry officials and OpenAI representatives addressed the “practical possibilities” of using AI in schools, the state-run Turkmenistan: Golden Age outlet reported. “The main focus was placed on two areas of cooperation: the use of AI to improve the quality of education and the development of AI literacy among schoolchildren, students, teachers, and administrative personnel,” the publication reported. During the meeting, Turkmenistan outlined the development of electronic educational platforms in the country’s education system, while OpenAI discussed possible pilot programs involving the use of ChatGPT Edu, an AI platform designed to protect user data, in selected academic institutions. They agreed to consider ways to build practical AI skills, such as hackathons in which students would team up to build a project or solve a problem in a limited time period. Turkmenistan’s government retains tight controls on society, and education is highly centralized. Traditional problems include teacher shortages and concerns that a range of restrictions were holding back student development. Even so, the country has embarked on a campaign to modernize the system and expand contacts with international institutions. Nurmuhammet Shyhlyev, vice-rector of the International University of Humanities and Development of Turkmenistan, was in Japan this month. He discussed initiatives including the establishment of Japanese language centers in Ashgabat's higher education institutions and joint research on robotics, green technologies, and other topics. In March, Education Minister Jumamyrat Gurbangeldiyev met Stefania Giannini, UNESCO assistant director-general for education, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

National Identity

Kazakhstan Looks to the Golden Horde for a Deeper National Narrative

A major international symposium dedicated to the Golden Horde opened this week in Kazakhstan’s capital, underscoring the country’s growing effort to redefine its historical narrative and national identity through the legacy of the Great Steppe. The symposium, held under the patronage of UNESCO and titled “The Golden Horde as a Model of Steppe Civilization: History, Archaeology, Culture and Identity,” brought together more than 300 scholars, including 120 foreign researchers from over 20 countries. The event reflects Kazakhstan’s effort to align its national narrative with a growing body of scholarship that treats nomadic societies not as a “backward” alternative to sedentary civilizations, but as a distinct and highly sophisticated model of statehood shaped by the economic realities of the Eurasian steppe. Opening the symposium, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared that “no historian today questions the power of the Golden Horde, the empire that ruled the Great Steppe and occupied vast expanses of Eurasia. The empire that connected East and West and exerted a profound influence on the development of civilizations and the formation of states was unquestionably one of the largest political structures in history,” Tokayev said. [caption id="attachment_49194" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Image: Akorda[/caption] The Legacy of the Great Steppe The Golden Horde, also known as the Ulus of Jochi, emerged from the empire created by Genghis Khan across the Eurasian steppe. The wider Eurasian steppe stretched from Eastern Europe toward Mongolia, while the Golden Horde controlled a vast western portion of that world. The region long served as home to Indo-European, Turkic and Mongol nomadic peoples. Its open geography, largely free of impassable mountain barriers, enabled the large-scale movement of herds of horses, sheep and cattle in search of pastures and water sources. It was in this region, on the territory of present-day northern Kazakhstan, that horses were first domesticated about 5,500 years ago near the settlement of Botai. The archaeological Botai culture dates back to roughly 3700-3100 BCE. The Golden Horde itself traces directly to Jochi, the eldest son of Genghis Khan, whose descendants ruled the Ulus of Jochi across a vast territory from the Irtysh to the Danube. Over time, the Ulus of Jochi was divided between Jochi’s sons into western and eastern wings known respectively as the White Horde (Ak-Orda) and the Blue Horde (Kok-Orda). By the middle of the 15th century, the Ulus of Jochi had fragmented into successor polities, including the Siberian, Uzbek, Kazan, Crimean, and Kazakh khanates, as well as the Nogai Horde. Moscow’s rise also unfolded in the shadow of this post-Horde order before it later became the core of the Russian Empire. [caption id="attachment_49193" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Image: Akorda[/caption] Between Myth and Statehood Because written sources on the Golden Horde remain fragmented, much of its legacy survived through oral traditions, epics, myths, and legends. In Kazakh tradition, for example, khans continued to be chosen from among the Chinggisids, direct descendants of Genghis Khan, and elevated on a white felt carpet during coronation ceremonies. The period also produced oral epics preserved through the tradition of the...

Water Consumption

Central Asian Countries Rank Among World’s Highest Water Consumers

Several Central Asian countries rank among the world’s highest consumers of water per person, according to data compiled by the Worldometer portal. The figures, based on statistics from UN agencies including UNESCO and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), place Turkmenistan first globally, with Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan also in the top ten. The figures highlight a long-standing regional challenge: heavy dependence on water-intensive agriculture combined with aging irrigation systems that lose substantial amounts of water before it reaches fields. Turkmenistan leads the global ranking with daily water consumption of 15,445 liters per person. Uzbekistan ranks fourth worldwide at 4,778 liters per capita per day, followed by Tajikistan with 4,460 liters and Kyrgyzstan with 4,153 liters. Kazakhstan recorded the lowest level among Central Asian states, at 3,397 liters per person daily, though that still places it among relatively high-consuming countries internationally. In terms of total annual water use, Uzbekistan consumes the largest volume in the region at 54.56 billion cubic meters a year. It is followed by Turkmenistan with 27.9 billion cubic meters, Kazakhstan with 22.77 billion, Tajikistan with 11.49 billion, and Kyrgyzstan with around 8 billion cubic meters. Experts say agriculture explains much of the region’s high consumption. Globally, farming accounts for about 70% of freshwater use, compared with 20% for industry and 10% for households. In Central Asia, agriculture represents more than 80% of water consumption, while up to 40% of water is estimated to be lost through deteriorating irrigation infrastructure. The problem has become increasingly significant as freshwater demand rises worldwide. According to UN estimates, freshwater withdrawals have tripled over the past 50 years, while global demand continues to grow by around 64 billion cubic meters annually because of population growth, changing consumption patterns, energy production, and biofuel development. Several Central Asian governments have begun introducing reforms aimed at reducing water losses. In Uzbekistan, authorities joined the World Bank’s Water Forward initiative and announced plans to expand water-saving technologies across 4.1 million hectares of irrigated farmland while reducing irrigation losses by 25%. Kazakhstan has also faced recurring shortages. Seasonal water restrictions are regularly introduced in southern regions, and this year the government approved consumption limits because of expected shortages during the agricultural season. The issue is closely linked to energy production in upstream countries. Studies by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicate that more than 80% of electricity generation in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan comes from hydropower, creating a close link between irrigation needs and energy supply. Limited coordination over water releases and electricity generation has contributed to summer shortages in some years. The figures show the scale of the challenge for Central Asian governments seeking to reduce water losses and manage shared rivers more effectively.

Regional Ecological Summit

Central Asian Countries to Jointly Address Cryosphere Threats

As part of the Regional Ecological Summit (RES 2026) in Astana, the UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty organised a session titled “The Cryosphere of Central Asia: From Scientific Assessment to Joint Climate Adaptation Action,” in cooperation with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The event was held under the GEF-UNDP-UNESCO Cryosphere project and in collaboration with Central Asian countries. The session focused on discussing the Joint Subregional Action Programme (JSAP) on the cryosphere, a framework document developed by Central Asian countries with UNESCO’s support. The programme is aimed at strengthening regional cooperation in monitoring and research on glaciers, snow cover, and permafrost, as well as aligning approaches to climate change adaptation, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. Central Asia is experiencing accelerated glacier melt. Under a high-emissions scenario, the region could lose up to 85% of its glacier volume by 2100 compared to 2020 levels. This would increase pressure on water resources, infrastructure, and communities, while also heightening the risk of natural hazards, including glacial lake outburst floods. As these processes are regional in nature, they require coordinated responses across Central Asian countries. “UNESCO has been actively supporting Central Asian countries in strengthening the scientific basis and advancing regional cooperation on the cryosphere. Today, the key priority is to move from scientific assessment to concrete action. The Joint Subregional Action Programme provides a practical framework for this transition and enhances coordination of adaptation efforts across the region,” said Amir Piric, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty. As a key outcome of the session, heads of relevant government authorities from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan responsible for environmental protection issued a joint statement supporting JSAP implementation, reaffirming their commitment to strengthened regional cooperation. “Today it is clear that no country can effectively address climate change challenges alone. Regional cooperation is therefore essential. The Joint Statement reflects the readiness of Central Asian countries to join efforts and develop coordinated approaches to climate change adaptation,” said Nurlan Kurmalayev, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan. The JSAP provides a foundation for coordinated action among countries and partners, defines cooperation priorities, and supports the advancement of climate adaptation measures in the region. The joint statement also opens opportunities to mobilise funding from various sources, including donors, international financial institutions, and the private sector.

Cultural Heritage

Bukhara Demolitions Resurface as Developer Faces Financial Trouble

Concerns over demolition works linked to the “Eternal Bukhara” tourism project have resurfaced following renewed questions directed at Uzbekistan’s Cultural Heritage Agency, as the project’s main developer faces financial difficulties. In 2024, The Times of Central Asia reported that construction of the large-scale tourism complex near the historic center of Bukhara had drawn criticism from local residents and UNESCO. The project, located in the buffer zone surrounding the ancient city, was seen as a potential threat to the integrity of one of Central Asia’s most significant cultural sites. According to Uzbek outlet Uzdiplomat, the issue was raised again during a recent briefing, where journalists questioned officials about the consequences of last year’s demolitions. The project’s main investor, Enter Engineering, has since encountered financial problems and is reportedly selling assets to repay debts to banks, the government, and employees. While construction has slowed, concerns remain over the damage already caused to the cultural environment. The demolitions carried out in 2024 sparked strong reactions from the public, architects, and international organizations. Several buildings, including administrative and social facilities in central Bukhara, were reportedly demolished as part of preparations for the tourism complex. At the time, international heritage group Alerte Héritage called for a halt to the process, arguing that it could contradict global preservation commitments. Responding to questions, a representative of the Cultural Heritage Agency said the works were conducted outside UNESCO’s core protected area and instead took place in the buffer zone. According to the agency, all required documentation, including a master plan and impact assessments, was submitted, and UNESCO was informed of the process. Officials also addressed criticism over the demolition of buildings that, while not officially listed as cultural heritage, were considered by some to have historical value. Deputy head of the agency Tursunali Kuziyev said the agency can only intervene in cases involving officially registered heritage sites. He added that granting such status requires a formal scientific review and legal procedure. Questions about whether the agency could take a broader stance in defense of the public interest were met with similar responses. Officials reiterated that decisions regarding non-listed buildings fall under the authority of local governments and urban planning bodies.