The government of Uzbekistan has officially introduced a new high-ranking position of First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science. This newly established office is reportedly designed to coordinate the activities of ministries, agencies, and regional authorities across the education, scientific, and healthcare sectors, marking a substantial reorganization of the state apparatus.
The structural changes were supposedly formalized through a presidential decree issued on October 9, 2026. According to the published document, a dedicated Secretariat for Education, Science, and Health Affairs comprising 12 staff positions will be set up within the Cabinet of Ministers. These positions are allegedly being drawn from the restructuring of the former Social Development Department and the optimization of related ministries.
Under the new framework, the First Deputy Prime Minister is purported to oversee the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Health, alongside their subordinated committees, agencies, and inspections. The list of involved institutions also encompasses the Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Youth Affairs Agency, which are expected to tackle specific social challenges.
Law enforcement bodies, allegedly including the State Security Service and the National Guard, have reportedly been integrated into the oversight mechanisms to protect students from the influence of destructive religious and ideological currents, as well as to curb drug distribution and violence within educational institutions. The cabinet has been given a two-week deadline to approve the official regulations governing the new secretariat.
Concurrently, other administrative adjustments are taking place within the government machinery, such as renaming the former Social Development Department to the Culture and Sports Department. The total number of managerial personnel in the executive structure of the Cabinet of Ministers has been capped at 243 individuals.
Source: kun.uz