Launched in 2024 in Khorezm region and in 2025 in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the 'Muhammad al-Khwarizmi Heirs' project provides free IT and English language training to school students. The Center for Digital Education Development under the Ministry of Digital Technologies organized a press tour to Khorezm in March. A Gazeta correspondent spoke with female participants of the project.
The project selects 7th-8th grade students based on math and IQ tests. The 4-year program aims to equip students with international IT certificates, B2 English certification, and a personal startup portfolio. According to Saidmurod Abdujabborov, head of department at the Center, about 3,500 students are studying in Khorezm and over 1,000 in Karakalpakstan, taught by 137 mentors. The goal is to train 50,000 qualified graduates by 2028.
In the 2024-2025 academic year, 130 students completed the program. Of these, 84 enrolled in higher education institutions in IT fields, while 46 are earning income through IT companies and freelance platforms. Girls make up over 30% of participants in Khorezm. Mentor Jamshid Gulomov from Gurlan IT Park noted that 60-70% of the 300 students in his district are girls.
Hosiyat Sharifbayeva, an 11th grader from School No.45 in Gurlan, has been studying web development and English for 1.5 years. She developed an app to digitize beauty salons and sold it for $500. The app automates appointment scheduling, manages queues, and provides monthly reports for masters. Hosiyat plans to scale the app across Uzbekistan via a subscription model. She aspires to study IT for free at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia and work at a FAANG company.
Charoskhon Umarova, a 10th grader from School No.3 in Urgench, has been training at IT Park for 1.5 years. Together with her team, she created EcoHub, a project involving smart eco-machines that accept recyclable waste and reward users with EcoCoin. These coins can be used for discounts at partner supermarkets. Despite initial difficulties and skepticism from others, Charoskhon remains determined to pursue a career in programming and contribute to environmental sustainability.
Source: www.gazeta.uz