The reintroduction of the rental system for school textbooks is being proposed in Uzbekistan. This was announced in the 2025-2027 budget plan developed by the Ministry of Economy.
The proposal is aimed at "increasing the involvement of parents in providing schools with textbooks." Starting from the 2025/2026 academic year, it is planned to reintroduce a rental fee system for a set of textbooks and exercise books for students of grades 2–11.
According to the project, the average cost of one textbook and exercise books for a student in 2024 is expected to be 450–500 thousand som (of which exercise books are 100–150 thousand som).
The 376.6 billion som collected will be directed each year to cover part of the expenses for providing students with exercise books.
"The full printing of textbooks and exercise books at the expense of the State budget is leading to a decreased sense of responsibility among parents and a neglectful attitude towards textbooks," the budget plan proposal states.
This project is causing wide discussions on social networks.
"A country that has inscribed 'this is a social state' in its Constitution should be ashamed of asking for money for textbooks given to school students. At the very least, they should be ashamed just for the sake of that inscription saying 'social state.' It hasn't even been two years since that inscription was made, there's no reason to blame it on 'bad people from the past'."
"If the state cannot find any other sector to economize and generate money other than schools, well, it would be better to start not with imposing a textbook tax on students but by auditing the operations of those producing the textbooks. And stop trying to discover America, and do what works in the normal world, follow the path of the normal world," says Muhrim.
According to economist "bakiroo," in his opinion, even after a manifold increase in tariffs, if billions of subsidies continue to be misappropriated in the loss-making energy sector, and if the freed-up funds are not spent on improving human quality, education, and healthcare, from now on, no sane Uzbek will believe the government’s mantra of "saving budget funds."
"The same goes for textbook rentals. Rental payments are not being reinstated to save budget funds, but to divert these funds through other channels.
"This budget does not serve to ensure inclusive economic growth, create equal opportunities, or improve human quality. Unfortunately, we do not have a parliament that would debate the budget, fight for an efficient budget," says the blogger.
