On the 25th of March, Minister of education of Turkmenistan Jumamyrat Gurbangeldiyev met with the General Director of UNESCO Khaled Al-Enany and Deputy General Director of UNESCO for education Stefania Giannini at the headquarters of the UNESCO in Paris.
The meetings took place within the framework of events dedicated to the presentation of the Global education monitoring report (GEM Report 2026), and were devoted to the results and prospects of cooperation in the field of education.
The Minister of education of Turkmenistan emphasised that the ongoing joint initiatives consistently strengthen the national education system and promote its integration into the global educational space.
The General Director of UNESCO highly appreciated the work carried out by Turkmenistan, the systematic and future-oriented nature of reforms to ensure high quality and affordable education, as well as contribution of the country to the implementation of SDG 4.
The parties paid special attention to ensuring equal access to quality education, digital transformation of educational systems, as well as the introduction of AI technologies into the educational process.
In this regard, the prospects for the opening of a new UNESCO department of «Digital science» and the development of cooperation with the UNESCO Institute for information technology in education were considered.
The meeting highly appreciated the implementation of UNESCO programs in Turkmenistan, including the activities of UNESCO chairs, associated schools, and the participation of universities of the country in international academic networks. Special attention was paid to the «Lifelong Learning initiative», including participation of Ashgabat in the UNESCO Global network of learning cities.
At the meeting between the Minister of education of Turkmenistan and the Deputy General Director of UNESCO for education, promising areas of cooperation were discussed, including the digitalisation of education, the development of lifelong learning, as well as the responsible use of new technologies in education.
During the meeting, the Turkmen side emphasised the importance of cooperation with UNESCO and the leading role of the organisation in promoting high quality, inclusive and future-oriented education.
Stefania Giannini highly appreciated the work carried out by Turkmenistan in the field of education, including the development of inclusive and high quality education, digitalisation and expansion of international cooperation. The active steps of the country towards joining UNESCO international conventions were noted, which demonstrates commitment of Turkmenistan to international standards and strengthening the legal framework of the educational system.
The role of the leadership of the country in consistently promoting reforms and ensuring a strategic course for the development of a modern and competitive education system was emphasised.
Following the meetings, the parties confirmed their mutual interest in further strengthening cooperation and expanding practical cooperation in the field of education.
