President Mirziyoyev orders new law to curb illegal car rentals to schoolchildren

Speaking at a video conference on school education reform, the President criticized the growing trend of renting out cars to students in Namangan, noting that it has resulted in numerous injuries and even deaths among young people.

He pointed out that every month in Namangan and other regions, particularly Namangan, 10–15 young people are injured due to this practice, with several fatal outcomes.

The President also criticized heads of internal affairs departments and regional and district prosecutors for failing to ensure the rule of law in this matter.

In response, he instructed that a draft law be developed to increase liability for allowing minors to drive vehicles.

Kun.uz had previously published several critical articles about the flourishing "business" of renting out cars to school students in Namangan. One such article, published on April 17, was titled “Driving Turns into a Business in Namangan as Children Die: Have Officials Lost Control?”

That report detailed a case where Namangan school students were once again involved in a car accident while driving a rented vehicle. It highlighted how people were openly making easy money by illegally renting out cars for a few hours and that local police and traffic safety officials were failing to take serious measures against them.

Later, the head of the regional Traffic Safety Department, Mansur Gaziyev, admitted that 90% of the members of Telegram groups renting out cars were school students.

High school students spending up to 8 hours a day on phones

The President also raised concern that students in grades 7 to 11 are spending up to eight hours a day on social media via their smartphones. He stressed that this should alarm not only school principals and teachers, but also parents.

“We have made major changes in the preschool and school education systems. But there are still many problems awaiting resolution,” Mirziyoyev said.

The Ministry of Preschool and School Education has been ordered to switch the entire system to “emergency 90-day” mode to address urgent issues.

Last year, a new curriculum used in Presidential and specialized schools was introduced in 1,500 schools. However, 300 of those still lack modern laboratories and teaching equipment.

Two years ago, under an initiative to align education with labor market needs, students in grade 10 at 289 schools began receiving training in 60 different professions. Entrepreneurs were assigned to 114 of these schools, and about 4,000 students now earn monthly stipends ranging from 2 to 5 million UZS.

District governors in Dehqonobod, Guzor, Kosonsoy, Mingbuloq, Uychi, Guliston, Sardoba, Khovos, Boysun, Denov, Shorchi, Muzrabot, Buvayda, Dangara, Hazorasp, and Khonqa had been instructed to integrate at least one school in each district into this system. However, the president criticized them for failing to provide the necessary equipment and raw materials for vocational training.