Full explanation on how foreign language teachers work in schools

The requirement for foreign language teachers working in general education institutions to have a national or equivalent international certificate of at least B2 level has been extended until the 2025/2026 academic year.

However, they will be given a warning about the requirement to have a certificate by the end of the academic year. If teachers who received a warning do not receive a national or equivalent international certificate by the 2025/2026 academic year, the employment contract with them will be terminated.

In this regard, we deemed it necessary to answer in detail some questions that interest many people.

Who are included in the category of foreign language teachers?

In the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated May 19, 2021, No. PP-5117, 15 foreign languages are listed as foreign languages.

These include English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Turkish, Persian, Pashto, Dari, Urdu, and Hindi. Therefore, teachers who teach these languages are considered foreign language teachers.

Note that Russian language teachers are not listed here as foreign language teachers. Therefore, there is no requirement for Russian language teachers to have a national or equivalent international certificate to work at school.

What will be the procedure for hiring foreign language teachers entering a new job?

In accordance with paragraph 9 of the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated May 19, 2021 No. 312, starting from the 2022/2023 academic year, a newly hired applicant for the positions of foreign language teachers of state educational institutions must have a national or equivalent international certificate of at least B2 level.

Therefore, the procedure for extending the requirement to have a national B2 or equivalent international certificate until the 2025/2026 academic year will be applied not to newly hired teachers, but to teachers who are already working in schools.

That is, a foreign language teacher entering a new job will still be required to have a national or equivalent B2 level certificate.

If a foreign language teacher entering a new job has a national or equivalent B2 certificate, he will be hired as an intern-teacher and must also receive a professional certificate within one year.

Because national or equivalent international B2 certificates are not accepted in place of professional certificates.

There are exceptions for some categories of foreign language teachers

At the same time, by the 2025/2026 academic year, teachers of this category must have a certificate of at least B2 level according to national or international assessment systems.

The employment contract with teachers who do not have a certificate of the appropriate level within the established deadlines is terminated in the prescribed manner.

Will a B2 certificate be required if students want to get a job as a foreign language teacher?

The relevant decision of the Cabinet of Ministers refers to all new applicants for the positions of foreign language teachers.

That is, whether the applicant entering a state educational institution is a student or not, if he is being hired for a new job, he will be required to obtain a national B2 or equivalent international certificate.

Is a foreign language teacher required to be certified even if he changes his job?

In the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 312, it is not about applicants hired for the positions of foreign language teachers for the first time, but about teachers entering a new job.

That is, work experience does not play a role here at all. Therefore, if a foreign language teacher wants to change his job and transfer to another school, he will need to have a national or equivalent international certificate at the B2 level.

Is a B2 certificate also required from a foreign language teacher returning from maternity leave?

According to Article 239 of the Labor Code, the former place of work (position) of the employee is retained when providing maternity leave and childcare leave.

That is, an employee returning from a decree leave is not considered an employee being recruited for a new job. Therefore, if a foreign language teacher who does not have a national or equivalent international B2 certificate returns from a state holiday, they will continue working at the school until the 2025/2026 academic year.

However, they will also be given a warning about the requirement to have a corresponding certificate by the end of the academic year.

Summary

In general, foreign language teachers currently working in educational institutions were given another year.

Teachers of foreign languages who want to get a new job in schools were not given any time. That is, they must obtain a national or equivalent international B2 level certificate to be employed.

Now 2 certificates are required to work as a foreign language teacher at the school

• B2 national or equivalent international certificate;

This certificate will be needed to get a job in an educational institution.

• Professional certificate;

This is a state-issued document that gives the right to engage in pedagogical activities to an individual who has successfully passed the control test, issued for an unlimited period of time with a QR code.

Foreign language teachers, as well as teachers of other subjects hired for the first time, will need to receive this document for a period of one year from the date of hiring. If they cannot obtain a professional certificate in accordance with the established procedure, the employment contract concluded with them shall be terminated.