Kyrgyzstan textbook scandal: state-printed books sold on markets amid school shortages

September 17, 2026 at 09:00 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kyrgyzstan's transition to 12-year education has sparked a textbook scandal, with parents forced to buy state-printed books on markets while schools face shortages. Law enforcement has launched checks into illegal sales, and officials urge citizens not to purchase textbooks sold unlawfully.

Key Facts

In 2025, Kyrgyzstan spent about 900 million soms on printing textbooks, and plans to spend 1 billion 350 million soms in 2026.
Over two years, 2.2 billion soms will be spent on more than 9.3 million educational and methodological complexes.
In Osh, a 7th-grade mathematics textbook cost parents 1,000 soms, and natural sciences textbooks cost 1,500 soms.
Deputy Dastan Bekeshev bought a 3rd-grade mathematics textbook at Dordoi market for 650 soms, despite it being marked 'Not for sale'.
The state printing house 'Uchkun' prints 40,000 textbooks per day in two 12-hour shifts.

Textbook Printing and Funding

The Ministry of Education began updating library collections last year with textbooks for English, mathematics, natural sciences, and 'Alippe' for grades 1, 2, 5, and 7. This year, new books are provided for grades 3, 6, and 8, and next year the plan is to cover grades 4 and 9. First Deputy Minister of Education Mukhtarbek Baimurzaev stated that in 2025 about 900 million soms were spent on textbook printing, and 1 billion 350 million soms are planned for 2026. In total, 2.2 billion soms will be spent on more than 9.3 million educational and methodological complexes over two years. During a press tour at the 'Uchkun' printing house on September 11, Baimurzaev assured that new textbooks will be distributed to all students and nothing needs to be purchased.

Market Sales and Shortages

Even before the school year began, parents complained that new books were absent from school libraries but available on markets at high prices. In Osh, a 7th-grade mathematics textbook cost parents 1,000 soms, and natural sciences textbooks cost 1,500 soms. Deputy Dastan Bekeshev reported a similar situation, saying that while schools have a deficit and issue old textbooks, he found new ones on sale at Dordoi market. Bekeshev bought a 3rd-grade mathematics textbook for 650 soms, printed at the state printing house 'Uchkun' and marked 'Not for sale'. He stated that no one else has the right to print these textbooks and called the situation corruption, as money is allocated for printing while someone sells them.

Market Observations

A 24.kg correspondent found new textbooks for the 12-year program in an underground passage near TSUM and at Alamedin market. In the underground passage, a 7th-grade mathematics textbook in Kyrgyz cost 650 soms, along with natural sciences for grades 5 and 7 and mathematics textbooks and workbooks for grade 1. At Alamedin market, the selection was wider, including books for grades 2 and 4, though buyers were more interested in workbooks. One parent said the school issued a natural sciences textbook but no workbook, so she had to search at the bazaar, where they are sold only as a set of book plus workbook.