The head of the Samarkand Department of Public Education returned 28 million soums to the budget for sending his child abroad.

Reports circulated that Muzaffar Hamdamov, head of the Samarkand Regional Department of Preschool and School Education, had included his son and nephew in the official delegation sent to Russia.

A delegation of gifted students from grades 9-11 from the Samarkand region will be invited to Russia to participate in the "Alvon Yelkanlar" ("Red Sails") celebration for school graduates of the Russian Federation.

However, the head of the Department of Preschool and School Education of the Samarkand region, Muzaffar Khamdamov, instead of sending gifted students to Russia, sent his son and nephew, as well as the children of the heads and responsible employees of some departments of the department. This caused widespread discussion.

The regional Department of Preschool and School Education officially responded to the situation, stating that some students' foreign passports were not ready on time, and for some, changes were made to the list because their parents did not allow them to travel.

After that, this situation will be taken under control by the Anti-Corruption Agency.

On February 6, at a regular meeting of the Public Council under the Anti-Corruption Agency, the head of the agency, Akmal Burkhanov, announced that measures had been taken against the violators.

It is noted that an official from Samarkand, who wanted to send his child and nephew abroad instead of talented youth, returned 28 million soums to the budget. It was also revealed that 4 of the 8 students sent abroad are the sons and nephews of the head of the department, and two are the children of an accountant and methodologist working in the department.

Akmal Burkhanov specifically addressed this situation, emphasizing that the violation of the law by officials of the Samarkand Regional Department of Preschool and School Education has been proven.

As a result, within the framework of the measures taken in this case, officials of the Department of Preschool and School Education of the Samarkand region returned 28 million soums to the local budget.

"In the event of damage to the budget, we have submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Preschool and School Education to take decisive measures, up to and including dismissal, primarily to the head of the department and other officials for allowing favoritism," Burkhanov said.

One year of activity of Muzaffar Khamdamov

Muzaffar Hamdamov was appointed to this position a year ago, on February 25, 2025, as the head of the Department of Preschool and School Education of the Samarkand region. Previously, he held the position of khokim of the Pakhtachinsky district.

He was born in 1980 in the Taylak district of the Samarkand region. In 2005, he graduated from the Tashkent Financial Institute, specializing in taxation and taxation, accounting, and auditing.

He began his career in 1999 as Deputy Chief Accountant of the Finance Department of the Taylak District Administration. Later, he worked in various positions, including chief accountant of the central hospital of Taylak district, chief economist, leading economist and deputy head of the financial department of Samarkand region.

In 2017-2018, he worked as the Head of the Treasury Department for Samarkand region, and in 2018-2019, as the Head of the State Financial Control Department of the region.

Is there a guarantee that such cases have not occurred in other regions?

This situation, observed in the Samarkand region, showed that the risks of localism and cronyism, as well as corruption, have not yet been fully eliminated in the preschool and school education system. Otherwise, opportunities intended for gifted students would not be openly used for the personal interests of officials.

In this regard, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education needs to comprehensively and critically review the activities of all regional departments. In particular, the issue of ensuring transparency in the processes of foreign trips, competitions, and the formation of delegations should be taken under strict control.

In addition, a critical analysis by the Anti-Corruption Agency of the activities of the heads of all regional departments of preschool and school education is a requirement of today. Because there is no guarantee that such cases were not observed not only in the participation of students in various competitions, but also in the process of sending teachers abroad for advanced training or official trips.

In particular, the issue of preventing instances of localism, cronyism, and corruption in the process of sending 5 school teachers from each district (city) for advanced training abroad by regional administrations and preschool and school education departments, as instructed by the president, should be studied separately.