Court Verdict Issued Against Individuals Who Organized an Illegal Scheme to Help Teachers Pass Attestation

Earlier, we reported that a number of illegal activities carried out with the aim of helping teaching staff pass attestation and professional certification had been exposed. Criminal proceedings were initiated against the individuals involved under Article 210, Part 2, Clause “g” of the Criminal Code, and investigative proceedings were launched.

During qualification-category testing for teaching staff, certain individuals abused their duties related to ensuring the security and supervision of the testing process. They used concealed communication devices and Telegram groups to distribute test answers and, in exchange for money, ensure that teachers achieved positive results. The case against these individuals was subsequently heard in court.

According to the court document, the events took place during the 2025 teacher attestation process in the Republic of Karakalpakstan. It was established that, even before the attestation began, various technical devices were used to obtain information related to the test materials and transmit it to teachers taking the examination.

It was established that the illegal scheme to help teachers pass the attestation involved the chief methodologist of the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, a National Guard officer, a deputy director of a specialized school, two teachers, and other individuals.

How did the scheme work?

A group of individuals demanded between USD 500 and USD 1,000 from teachers in exchange for ensuring that they obtained the required score and successfully passed the attestation tests. The process was carried out in several stages.

First, before entering the test, teachers were instructed about what clothes to wear, which communication device to use, and whom to contact. They were also given special instructions: after entering the testing area with a communication device, they had to position the phone camera so that the questions displayed on the screen could be captured clearly and accurately. 

They were instructed to transmit the answers without attracting the attention of those around them and, if they were caught with a phone, not to disclose the identities of those involved in the scheme or provide information that could expose them. It was also planned to remove the attestation test questions from the examination room.

Before the teachers entered the test, special communication devices were prepared for them. At the entrance to the testing venue, the teacher was then required to give a pre-agreed code word to the National Guard officer.

In addition, teachers who had reached an “agreement” with the organizers were instructed to wear black clothing so that they could be easily identified. It was then planned to allow these teachers into the test without subjecting them to the required inspection for communication devices.

Information obtained through the communication devices was sent to a specially created Telegram group. The group also included individuals whose role was to solve the test questions.

The test questions received in the Telegram group were solved rapidly by the group members, and the answers were then transmitted to other teachers who had entered the examination with special earpieces.

According to the court document, money was obtained from several teachers in exchange for ensuring that they successfully passed the attestation examination. Some paid USD 500, while others paid USD 1,000.

The court found all the defendants not guilty of bribery and a number of aggravating circumstances due to the absence of the elements of the crime. However, they were found guilty under Article 168 of the Criminal Code (fraud).

All of the defendants were sentenced to corrective labor for periods ranging from one year to two years and 11 months, with 20% of their wages to be withheld, as well as temporary deprivation of the right to hold certain positions.

It should be recalled that earlier, in Namangan, a similar case was also identified during attestation examinations held to determine qualification categories. In that case, teaching staff were provided with remote assistance through a “bunker” during the test in exchange for financial benefits.