Early Childhood Education Program to be launched under NCIP: Support for the Establishment and Expansion of Private ECD Organizations
On February 16, 2026, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed in Bishkek between the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Community Development and Investment Agency of the Kyrgyz Republic (ARIS). The event marked the launch of effective and mutually beneficial cooperation for the implementation of the Program to Support the Establishment and Expansion of Private Preschool Education Organizations under the National Community Initiatives Project (NCIP).
On February 16, 2026, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed in Bishkek between the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Community Development and Investment Agency of the Kyrgyz Republic (ARIS). The signing marked the start of a structured and mutually beneficial partnership aimed at implementing a Program to Support the Establishment and Expansion of Private Preschool Education Organizations under the National Community Initiatives Project (NCIP).
The Memorandum was signed by the Minister of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic, D.Sh. Kendirbaeva, and the Executive Director of ARIS, M.D. Naspekov.
The Program aims to reduce the shortage of places in early childhood education institutions, address territorial disparities between urban and rural areas, and expand children’s access to quality early childhood education services. The implementation of the Program aligns with state policy priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The issue of insufficient ECD enrollment remains pressing: 72.6% of children do not attend ECD institutions due to the lack of places in full-day kindergartens. At the same time, approximately 36% of children in urban areas are enrolled in early childhood education, while in rural areas this figure averages only 22%.
Under the signed Memorandum, the Parties agreed to implement the following areas of ECD:
- Support for the establishment and expansion of private ECD organizations in 40 Aiyl Aimaks, with a total coverage of at least 500 children, with particular emphasis on supporting women entrepreneurs operating in the field of ECD. The support mechanism includes the provision of competitive technical grants of up to US$10,000 (in equivalent), along with comprehensive assistance to participants – from training and competitive selection to procurement of equipment and subsequent monitoring of results.
- Construction of at least 10 municipal energy-efficient kindergartens with an energy performance certificate of Class “B”, applying climate-smart technologies to ensure a high-quality and safe educational environment.
Expected results include:
- expanded access to quality ECD in the target villages covered by the Project,
- creation of sustainable jobs for women,
- strengthening of the private sector in the ECD services.
For reference: The National Community Initiatives Project (NCIP) is a project of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic implemented in 40 Aiyl Aimaks across seven Oblasts under the overall coordination of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic. The Project is financed by the World Bank. The implementing agency is ARIS of the Kyrgyz Republic.
