What will first-graders have in their school bags this year? Photo report

What will first-graders find in their school bags this year? Photo report

On August 5, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of Uzbekistan (MPSE) presented preparations for the 2026-2027 academic year and a "presidential gift" intended for first-graders.

A Gazeta correspondent attended the event and found out what a first-grader's school bag contains and how much it weighs.

The set includes 12 types of school supplies:

As an innovation, the ministry added a keychain featuring state symbols—the coat of arms and flag.

According to the press service of the MPSE, a survey was conducted among parents whose children started first grade last year regarding the quality of school supplies. The majority of parents gave a positive assessment.

Ministry representative Farkhod Alimardonova reported that 16 types of textbooks and 8 types of workbooks have been prepared for first graders. Some subjects are taught divided into quarters of the academic year. For example, "Mathematics" consists of four sections.

A Cabinet of Ministers resolution of December 28, 2022, stipulates that the weight of textbooks for students in grades 1-4 should not exceed 400 grams. Among the first-grade textbooks this year, "Education" is the heaviest, weighing 346 grams.

A child's backpack on Wednesday will be slightly heavier than on other days of the week – the combined weight of textbooks and notebooks for "Mathematics," "ABCs," "Writing," and "Education" is 1,236 grams. Including the bag, it totals 1,650 grams, excluding additional school supplies, pens, pencils, pencil cases, erasers, and other items.

"Packaging textbooks for other days, additional subjects, snacks, and water thermoses in the bag may increase the usual weight. We ask parents to ensure that their children's backpacks are stocked with school supplies according to the daily schedule," said Farkhod Alimardonova. The kits will be fully delivered to all schools by August 25, based on the number of enrolled students. A "presidential gift" will also be presented to children starting first grade at more than 800 non-governmental educational institutions in Uzbekistan.

"There are special schools in the country for children with special educational needs, and 'presidential gifts' have also been prepared for them. These educational supplies may differ from standard ones. For example, they are adapted for visually impaired and blind children," said Erkin Murodov, head of the ministry's department.

In the 2026-2027 academic year, more than 6.7 million students will be enrolled in 10,225 general education schools across the country. Over 795,000 children are scheduled to start first grade, with 680,000 registered as of August 5. The process will continue until the end of August.

The Ministry of Children's and Youth also demonstrated how preparations for the educational process were organized using School No. 202 in the Chilanzar District as an example. New desks have been installed, there is a handwashing area, a drinking water cooler, and toilets adapted for children with disabilities.