How to be a good person in Uzbekistan? Explained by the school-textbook 'Upbringing: Secrets of Happiness and Success’
The Government of Uzbekistan is concerned with the spiritual upbringing of the youth. As part of the policy directions declared by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for the construction of a 'New Uzbekistan' and a 'New Renaissance', a separate subject has been introduced in the country's schools. This subject pays special attention to teaching moral values, ethics, and achieving success — believed to be crucial in the upbringing of children. Textbooks for this subject are taught throughout all 11 years of school.
Our team within the LAMPA Accelerator project analysed the 'Upbringing' textbooks from grades 1 to 11 (published in 2020-2021). We identified a number of shortcomings that reduce the impact of education. In particular, patriotic and moral values are sometimes transmitted in an intrusive manner, leaving no space for critical understanding and choice.
The development of education and the improvement of knowledge are key aspects of President Mirziyoyev’s policy, known as the 'Third Renaissance'. This policy combines two factors — a strong economy and strong spirituality — to develop Uzbekistan and enlighten its society.
'Currently, another important process of revival is taking place in our country. Therefore, the words 'New Uzbekistan' and 'Third Renaissance' harmoniously resonate with our lives and inspire our people to great goals', President Mirziyoyev stated in an interview with the newspaper 'Yangi Uzbekiston'.
Our team within the LAMPA Accelerator project analysed the 'Upbringing' textbooks from grades 1 to 11 (published in 2020-2021). We identified a number of shortcomings that reduce the impact of education. In particular, patriotic and moral values are sometimes transmitted in an intrusive manner, leaving no space for critical understanding and choice.
The development of education and the improvement of knowledge are key aspects of President Mirziyoyev’s policy, known as the 'Third Renaissance'. This policy combines two factors — a strong economy and strong spirituality — to develop Uzbekistan and enlighten its society.
'Currently, another important process of revival is taking place in our country. Therefore, the words 'New Uzbekistan' and 'Third Renaissance' harmoniously resonate with our lives and inspire our people to great goals', President Mirziyoyev stated in an interview with the newspaper 'Yangi Uzbekiston'.
Starting from the 2020-2021 academic year, a textbook titled 'Upbringing' was introduced into the 1-9 grade school curriculum. The following academic year, books for grades 10-11 were released. Replacing textbooks on subjects such as 'Foundations of Spirituality', 'Idea of National Independence', 'Sense of Homeland', and 'Ethics', the 'Upbringing' textbook discusses how to behave in society, the importance of love for the homeland, family values, discipline, morality, and other topics.
From the 2023-2024 academic year, the textbooks for primary school were updated in the school curriculum. These were developed based on the '4C' principle — critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication. 'Upbringing' also underwent changes, however, in middle and high school, they continue to teach using the old textbooks released in 2020-2021. Therefore, in our research, we focused on them.
School textbooks play a major role in the development of children — they shape views and values in children, as explained by psychologist Gulnara Bogdalova.
From the 2023-2024 academic year, the textbooks for primary school were updated in the school curriculum. These were developed based on the '4C' principle — critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication. 'Upbringing' also underwent changes, however, in middle and high school, they continue to teach using the old textbooks released in 2020-2021. Therefore, in our research, we focused on them.
School textbooks play a major role in the development of children — they shape views and values in children, as explained by psychologist Gulnara Bogdalova.
For the analysis, the 'Upbringing' textbooks from grades 1 to 11 (published in 2020-2021) were collected and converted into a textual format in electronic form. To analyse the structure of the textbooks, we manually divided all the content into categories: 'How a child should look and behave'; 'Personal development, success, business'; 'Moral qualities and ethics'; 'Society (friends, mahalla, school)'; 'General knowledge’, ‘Homeland and patriotism'; 'Family and family values', 'Other'. We used the chapter titles to indicate the category. If it wasn’t clear from the title which category it belonged to, we relied on the text of the chapter.
For text analysis, we used the Python programming language and its libraries. To analyse the frequency of word usage, we cleaned the entire text of punctuation, conducted lemmatization, and removed stop-words. Then, using the Mystem library, we identified nouns and adjectives, excluding words that are headings of sections: question, activity (creative activity), reflection (for reflection), etc.
To compile a list of the most mentioned personalities, we used the Natasha library, which helped us count all the names in the text. We then manually corrected inaccuracies — the library does not recognize some names and surnames together well (for example, Amir Temur or Ibn Sina). An incomplete version of a proper name (only a surname or only a first name) was counted if it was clear from the text who was being referred to. Different spellings of the same name (for example, Avicenna and Abu Ali Ibn Sino) were also considered.
To analyse the connections between words, we created a list of words ('Homeland', 'Love', 'Value', 'Religion', etc.), and using code, we checked which words often appear in the same sentence as our selected words from the list.
In working on the project, we used automation tools, including methods of natural language processing. Practically any library working with them is not perfect and admits rare errors.
*The data visualisatoins and the text of the artcile were translated from Russian.
For text analysis, we used the Python programming language and its libraries. To analyse the frequency of word usage, we cleaned the entire text of punctuation, conducted lemmatization, and removed stop-words. Then, using the Mystem library, we identified nouns and adjectives, excluding words that are headings of sections: question, activity (creative activity), reflection (for reflection), etc.
To compile a list of the most mentioned personalities, we used the Natasha library, which helped us count all the names in the text. We then manually corrected inaccuracies — the library does not recognize some names and surnames together well (for example, Amir Temur or Ibn Sina). An incomplete version of a proper name (only a surname or only a first name) was counted if it was clear from the text who was being referred to. Different spellings of the same name (for example, Avicenna and Abu Ali Ibn Sino) were also considered.
To analyse the connections between words, we created a list of words ('Homeland', 'Love', 'Value', 'Religion', etc.), and using code, we checked which words often appear in the same sentence as our selected words from the list.
In working on the project, we used automation tools, including methods of natural language processing. Practically any library working with them is not perfect and admits rare errors.
*The data visualisatoins and the text of the artcile were translated from Russian.
What key words and themes define the textbook?
The central role in the textbooks is occupied by 'person' and 'life' — these two nouns appear more frequently than others. Other popular words in the textbooks related to people are 'family' and 'friend'. A separate group of nouns related to career and development, such as 'work', 'goal', 'knowledge', and 'quality', are used several hundred times each over 11 years of schooling. The words 'Uzbekistan' and 'homeland' round off the list of most-used nouns — together these two words appeared almost five hundred times.
Among the most mentioned personalities in the textbooks are writers and poets, scientists, historical figures, philosophers, and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. There are no women in the top ten.
What does the textbook say about homeland and patriotism?
'I am a child of Uzbekistan' — this is the title of the very first chapter of the first-grade ‘Upbringing’ textbook.
Almost eight percent of the text of all textbooks is dedicated to the theme of patriotism and love for the homeland. They talk about the national idea, the selfless feats of the ancestors of the Uzbeks, the importance of serving the country and the people, as well as about love for the homeland through family.
For example, in the fourth-grade textbook, there's a theme 'The brave and courageous person — a pillar of the homeland'. In it, a grandfather instructs his grandson: 'You are a boy. When you grow up, you will be a defender of the Homeland. For this, you must take care of your health and toughen up your body now'. Such examples are found in all the textbooks.
In the fourth grade, the homeland is discussed unexpectedly a lot. If in the first three grades it accounts for an average of three percent of the text, in the fourth grade this theme occupies over a quarter of the book.
Almost eight percent of the text of all textbooks is dedicated to the theme of patriotism and love for the homeland. They talk about the national idea, the selfless feats of the ancestors of the Uzbeks, the importance of serving the country and the people, as well as about love for the homeland through family.
For example, in the fourth-grade textbook, there's a theme 'The brave and courageous person — a pillar of the homeland'. In it, a grandfather instructs his grandson: 'You are a boy. When you grow up, you will be a defender of the Homeland. For this, you must take care of your health and toughen up your body now'. Such examples are found in all the textbooks.
In the fourth grade, the homeland is discussed unexpectedly a lot. If in the first three grades it accounts for an average of three percent of the text, in the fourth grade this theme occupies over a quarter of the book.
In the context of the homeland in middle school, words like 'heritage', 'monument', and 'people' are often used, while in high school — 'family', 'participation'.
In another example, students are asked to complete sentences and choose an ending for each of them. However, in reality, the students have no choice — all options lead to the conclusion that without a homeland, there is no happiness.
In another example, students are asked to complete sentences and choose an ending for each of them. However, in reality, the students have no choice — all options lead to the conclusion that without a homeland, there is no happiness.
In the textbooks, the discussion about the homeland is built on the connection 'my family — my homeland', as indicated by the frequent use of the word 'family' with 'homeland' in the same sentence — 28 times.
Another popular word that appears with 'homeland' is 'love', this expression appeared at least 24 times. No other word combined with the noun 'love' as often. Moreover, the word 'love' was combined with 'country' and ‘Uzbekistan' ten times.
For example, the fourth-grade textbook says: 'He who loves his family, loves his mahalla, a person who loves his mahalla, loves his country’.
For example, the fourth-grade textbook says: 'He who loves his family, loves his mahalla, a person who loves his mahalla, loves his country’.
What moral qualities does the textbook teach?
Moral qualities and ethics are one of the main themes of the ‘Upbringing’ textbook. From the first grade, children are taught honesty, fairness, nobility, and patience. The book describes situations with moral evaluations, teaches about friendship, and discusses etiquette.
However, there are examples that devalue experiences, justify violence, or are simply harmful. In the fourth grade, the book teaches to always tell the truth, 'even to one's own detriment'. But anthropologist Valery Khan believes that this is not possible in reality.
In the sixth grade, students learn about keeping promises through a story about a fox beaten by other animals until it was lame and its fur torn. After this, the fox realised that it 'needs to justify the trust of friends'. Besides normalising violence, the story clearly contains victim-blaming — shifting the blame from the aggressor to the victim.
However, there are examples that devalue experiences, justify violence, or are simply harmful. In the fourth grade, the book teaches to always tell the truth, 'even to one's own detriment'. But anthropologist Valery Khan believes that this is not possible in reality.
In the sixth grade, students learn about keeping promises through a story about a fox beaten by other animals until it was lame and its fur torn. After this, the fox realised that it 'needs to justify the trust of friends'. Besides normalising violence, the story clearly contains victim-blaming — shifting the blame from the aggressor to the victim.
On average, the theme of moral qualities occupies a fifth of all books — mainly this theme is given attention in primary and middle school. For example, in middle school, moral qualities are discussed through words like 'person', 'right', 'teacher', and 'kindness'.
The word 'value' is most often used in the same sentence with adjectives 'family', 'national', and 'spiritual'.
The word 'value' is most often used in the same sentence with adjectives 'family', 'national', and 'spiritual'.
Students are also taught that people are divided into two categories — grateful and ungrateful. According to the authors, the latter are constantly dissatisfied and upset. Children are encouraged to turn away from 'televisions, tablets, smartphones' and look at the world around them. Then a quote is given, which is actually attributed to different people — from educator and writer Dale Carnegie to footballer and coach Zinedine Zidane. This is not the only case when the textbook contains unverified facts.
How are students taught about success and personal development?
Almost a third of the textbook content is about the basics of entrepreneurship, work etiquette, time management, ways of earning money, and freelancing. The authors tell stories of successful people who, at the age of 5, invented a cure for cancer or became world champions while still in school.
According to an expert, such examples, besides motivating, can harm a child by causing the 'FoMO effect' — anxiety or worry about missing out on something important or interesting happening in other people's lives.
In the eighth grade, the textbook authors present as a role model a young man who studied for 18 hours a day, deprived himself of food and rest, and dedicated his youth to studying. Eventually, the young man enrolled in a foreign university, after which he 'returned to his homeland with great goals' and was appointed to a 'responsible position'.
According to an expert, such examples, besides motivating, can harm a child by causing the 'FoMO effect' — anxiety or worry about missing out on something important or interesting happening in other people's lives.
In the eighth grade, the textbook authors present as a role model a young man who studied for 18 hours a day, deprived himself of food and rest, and dedicated his youth to studying. Eventually, the young man enrolled in a foreign university, after which he 'returned to his homeland with great goals' and was appointed to a 'responsible position'.
The theme of success and personal development receives more attention in middle school — about 40% of the entire textbook content. Moreover, in the ninth grade, a large part of the textbook — 75% — is devoted to this theme.
This is evident from the frequency of words related to the theme, such as 'work', 'success', and 'goal', which increase in middle school, especially in the ninth grade.
This is evident from the frequency of words related to the theme, such as 'work', 'success', and 'goal', which increase in middle school, especially in the ninth grade.
In one of the chapters for the eighth grade, as a creative task, children are asked to write a 35-year plan. In the same task, they are asked what they plan to do for the welfare of the homeland.
'The question was clearly composed by older people, 'from the USSR era'. The world has entered an era where speed and temporality are becoming the most important characteristics of time. We admit students and prepare them in universities for many professions that will disappear in five years. And in the same five years, professions will emerge that no one can guess about today,' says Khan.
Overall, the textbook contains many creative tasks on effective time management. They talk about the importance of discipline and developing willpower. Additionally, this category discusses the creative economy, inventions, and technologies. As role models, personalities such as Apple founder Steve Jobs, Alibaba Group creator Jack Ma, inventor and industrialist Henry Ford, and entrepreneur-programmer Pavel Durov are mentioned.
Overall, the textbook contains many creative tasks on effective time management. They talk about the importance of discipline and developing willpower. Additionally, this category discusses the creative economy, inventions, and technologies. As role models, personalities such as Apple founder Steve Jobs, Alibaba Group creator Jack Ma, inventor and industrialist Henry Ford, and entrepreneur-programmer Pavel Durov are mentioned.
About appearance, cyberspace, ecology, and religion
The smallest category 'How a child should look and behave' — constituting 6% of the text of all textbooks — is dedicated to the appearance of schoolchildren. It describes how to distinguish between festive, everyday, or sports clothing, how much perfume a girl should use, how shoes should match a suit, what a boy should wear to maintain an image, and why a boy with an earring is not modest.
The theme is particularly prominent in primary school, with 32.18% of the third-grade textbook dedicated to it, but it completely disappears in the fourth grade, reappearing only in the seventh and eleventh grades.
'The principle of obligation is inappropriate in matters of clothing. If we were to follow the authors' opinion, we would have to shut down the entire women's clothing industry. Even the national dress in many regions of Uzbekistan does not conform to the expressed recommendations. Why should the private opinion of certain individuals be propagated across the entire country?' comments Valery Khan.
Besides the dress code theme, the textbook also touches on important social topics — it talks about ecological disasters, tolerance, waste sorting rules, internet usage culture, and consumption culture.
Besides the dress code theme, the textbook also touches on important social topics — it talks about ecological disasters, tolerance, waste sorting rules, internet usage culture, and consumption culture.
For example, in the eleventh grade, two topics are dedicated to obtaining information in cyberspace — discussing fraudsters, examples of cyberattacks, and the importance of fact-checking. In the first-grade textbook, there is an exercise where students sort waste into five different bins, thereby learning about waste sorting and recycling. It also briefly explains the importance of preserving nature.
In the tenth grade, one of the topics presents an example of consumption culture, asking students leading questions about their duties as knowledge consumers and how they use their intellectual property. Also in the tenth grade, in the chapter 'The Spirituality of Human’, it discusses how representatives of different nationalities and confessions live in Central Asia, accompanied by excerpts from the Constitution of Uzbekistan.
Religion holds a special place in the textbook. The word 'religion' first appears in the seventh-grade textbook in the topic 'International Solidarity': 'In our republic, special attention is paid to preserving values belonging to different religions...' (page 12).
At the beginning of the next grade, the context changes — in the topic titled 'You are my glory, my homeland!' It says that 'in all religions, betrayal of the homeland is condemned, considered a sign of wickedness and recognized as a serious crime.'
In the tenth grade, two separate topics are devoted to religion: 'Religion and Culture' — about the prolific influence of religion on culture and the merits of Muslim and Uzbek figures, and 'The ideas of humanism in world religions'.
In the tenth grade, one of the topics presents an example of consumption culture, asking students leading questions about their duties as knowledge consumers and how they use their intellectual property. Also in the tenth grade, in the chapter 'The Spirituality of Human’, it discusses how representatives of different nationalities and confessions live in Central Asia, accompanied by excerpts from the Constitution of Uzbekistan.
Religion holds a special place in the textbook. The word 'religion' first appears in the seventh-grade textbook in the topic 'International Solidarity': 'In our republic, special attention is paid to preserving values belonging to different religions...' (page 12).
At the beginning of the next grade, the context changes — in the topic titled 'You are my glory, my homeland!' It says that 'in all religions, betrayal of the homeland is condemned, considered a sign of wickedness and recognized as a serious crime.'
In the tenth grade, two separate topics are devoted to religion: 'Religion and Culture' — about the prolific influence of religion on culture and the merits of Muslim and Uzbek figures, and 'The ideas of humanism in world religions'.
In the eleventh grade, 'religion' is mentioned in three topics:
– 'Tolerance' — the topic teaches about international and interfaith friendship;
– 'Missionary work — a threat to the future of youth' — warns about recruitment, proselytism, and sects;
– 'The idea of peace in world religions' — condemns war and advocates for peace.
– 'Tolerance' — the topic teaches about international and interfaith friendship;
– 'Missionary work — a threat to the future of youth' — warns about recruitment, proselytism, and sects;
– 'The idea of peace in world religions' — condemns war and advocates for peace.
Conclusion
The 'Upbringing. Secrets of Happiness and Success' textbooks discuss how a child should look and behave, how to develop personality, achieve success, be a good friend, and how to love the homeland. The textbook also teaches family values and general knowledge about the modern world.
Despite the importance of the topics and the positive initiative, the textbook contains a number of shortcomings: for instance, there are quotes that do not belong to the mentioned people, excerpts of biography that are not verified in the public domain. Moreover, some examples can cause children to experience the fear of missing out, lower self-esteem and motivation. Patriotic and moral values are sometimes transmitted in an intrusive manner, leaving no space for critical thinking and choice.
Anthropologist Valery Khan speaks about the problems in the textbook:
Despite the importance of the topics and the positive initiative, the textbook contains a number of shortcomings: for instance, there are quotes that do not belong to the mentioned people, excerpts of biography that are not verified in the public domain. Moreover, some examples can cause children to experience the fear of missing out, lower self-esteem and motivation. Patriotic and moral values are sometimes transmitted in an intrusive manner, leaving no space for critical thinking and choice.
Anthropologist Valery Khan speaks about the problems in the textbook:
Valery Khan
Philosopher and anthropologist
'Most examples and sayings [in the textbook]
- are artificial, built on the principle of 'black and white', 'good and bad', while real life cannot be reduced to two colours. Thus, these examples lack the instrumental-methodological function that allows navigating in the modern world;
- are taken from the past and not applicable to the modern era;
- originate from the principles of maximalism and perfectionism, which are harmful in school education;
- are ideologized, excessively pompous and moralising;
- represent imperatives of a bureaucratic nature, a set of dogmatic instructions;
- are composed by narrowly and traditionally thinking authors, with a low level of preparation (in terms of professionalism in preparing educational literature in general, and in the socio-humanitarian orientation in particular).'
Psychologist Gulnara Bogdalova also emphasises the importance of the quality of textbooks, 'especially if these are the only books that a child opens at home'.
'It's important what message the textbook carries and whether it transmits information about gender equality. If the textbook contains information about gender inequality, it can create a foundation for violence, which has a high percentage in the patriarchal society of Uzbekistan,' she explains. 'It's necessary to understand how much these examples in the textbook correspond to reality. Textbooks should take into account the cognitive characteristics of the child and develop thinking necessary for the modern world, such as independent thinking and criticality.'
We reached out to one of the authors to comment on the excerpts that raise questions for us, but we did not receive a response.
'It's important what message the textbook carries and whether it transmits information about gender equality. If the textbook contains information about gender inequality, it can create a foundation for violence, which has a high percentage in the patriarchal society of Uzbekistan,' she explains. 'It's necessary to understand how much these examples in the textbook correspond to reality. Textbooks should take into account the cognitive characteristics of the child and develop thinking necessary for the modern world, such as independent thinking and criticality.'
We reached out to one of the authors to comment on the excerpts that raise questions for us, but we did not receive a response.
Authors:
Dilmurod Ruziev
Yura Pak
Anastasia Galimova
Aziza Raimberdieva
Illustrations:
Vera Andrianova
Dilmurod Ruziev
Yura Pak
Anastasia Galimova
Aziza Raimberdieva
Illustrations:
Vera Andrianova