On November 16, 2009, Prime Minister S. Batbold called on Educational Sector representatives from the University of Sciences and Technology. Those present at this meeting included MP D. Oyunkhorol, head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Policy, Education, Culture and Sciences; Yo.Otgonbayar, Minister of Education, Culture and Sciences; and Ch.Khurelbaatar, head of the Cabinet Secretariat Office.

Educators take interest in vision for reform

The Prime Minister had put forward a proposal ‘Development for People–People for Development’ in his speech during a recent Parliamentary session and, on meeting these representatives, he shared views on the subject.

The PM appealed for education to be raised in Mongolia so that its people can be competitive and worldclass employees, also expressing his views in regard to the existing primary, secondary and higher education systems, emphasizing “We need to set up systems to provide suitable education for pre-schoolaged children, establish a correctly balanced education structure available to all, and give attention to teachers’ and educators’ training, ethics and social matters.” The Prime Minister went on to say that the Government would draw up an index of kindergartens required per 1,000 families so as to set up a child-friendly environment by raising kindergartens’ capacities.

To do this, Mr. Batbold recommended that the Education, Culture and Sciences Ministry study Canadian technology to build less-expensive kindergartens, also highlighting that it is time to identify: specific objectives and take decisive steps to have an appropriate base: a policy that will improve standards, provide world-class education in this country; and create a competitive education system in Mongolia. He appealed to Educational Sector staff to put a goal to make Cambridge standard an orientation to the general education and work for getting 3 schools in first turn have such standard and then involve 30 schools.

He said, “It of course demands huge amount of money and efforts; however if we achieve the goal, it will certainly help Mongolia have the world class education and Mongolia’s children will have an opportunity to finish school obtaining Cambridge standard certificates and enter straightly to the University of Harvard. Government is to support the educational sector in order to fulfill this goal.”

The Prime Minister said it is of importance to create effective public system for establishing training and retraining of teachers, and underlined a necessity of having a civil educational system that will help people get education of civilization, legal rights, responsibility.

The Prime Minister advised Vocational Training and Production Centers to pay attention on training
specialized and skilled workers to use mining deposits. In 2009, a number of students in universities and institutes decreased, whereas those in vocational training students went up.

S. Batbold suggested reforming the system of State fund for academic and getting a structure of financing the students depending on their academic excellence. Prime Minister also instructed Education Minister to discontinue a practice that children with connection are being sent to foreign universities, announce relevant entrance examination openly and send whoever have qualified education and skill to foreign university from 2010.

Effective public education discussed

After Prime Minister’s address, the representatives shared their views. They said that universities and institutes are pursuing too much to increase number of students and do not pay attention on making students real human being instead of improving the education quality. Delegates from the Consortium of Universities and Institutes of Mongolia suggested the government to develop people, train personnel based on demands, set up the high educational system, enhance professional skills of teachers and scholars, and to tackle their social problems.

The head of the Association of Private Universities and Institutes of Mongolia Ts. Nyam-Osor put some requests. He wants the Ministry of Education not to set number of students to study in higher education schools, and to change the system of state fund loans for students.

The Associations of Technical Schools and Vocational Training Centers requested the Prime Minister to establish a Department of Vocational Training in the near future, to improve skills of teachers to be employed in them, expand such schools, and not to privatize the state-owned schools.

At the meeting, the Vice-President of the Union of Mongolian Students (UMS) G. Batsaikhan submitted to the Prime Minister a list of studenttargeted measures required to be taken by the government.

In general, many proposals were forwarded by the educational professionals such as retraining, improving skills in foreign countries, and solving social issues.

In accordance with the Prime Minister’s order, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science is to draw up working plans and programs and discuss them at a cabinet meeting.

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