Tajikistan to expand AI classes to 100 schools in new academic year
High school students in Dushanbe and regions to study artificial intelligence as part of pilot program set for nationwide rollout by 2028
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan (MNTV) — Tajikistan is preparing to introduce artificial intelligence into its classrooms, expanding experimental courses to 100 schools in the 2025–2026 academic year. The initiative marks the country’s most ambitious step yet toward integrating AI into the national education system.
According to the Asia-Plus news agency, the Council on Artificial Intelligence under the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies is spearheading the program, which will cover 60 schools in the capital and 40 in other regions.
Officials say the lessons are intended to prepare students for a future where AI plays a central role in both the economy and daily life.
The classes will focus on the “Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence” and are currently being piloted as after-school sessions for 10th and 11th graders.
Each group will include 10 to 15 students, meeting once a week for an hour. While entry tests are required, students with strong interest but lower scores may still join. The program is free of charge, with costs fully covered by the AI Council.
Last year, a smaller pilot reached 25 schools, producing what officials described as “good results.” Building on that experience, the expansion is seen as the next step toward the government’s long-term strategy.
Under Tajikistan’s “Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence until 2040,” AI will become a permanent subject in all schools by 2028.
To support the program, authorities are also training new specialists, drawing from existing computer science teachers and educators with strong mathematical and technical backgrounds.
Officials acknowledge, however, that the shortage of AI specialists remains a challenge and may limit how quickly classes can expand.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to align Tajikistan’s education system with global technological trends. By investing in AI literacy at the secondary school level, the government hopes to build a generation better equipped for the digital economy and to attract investment into the country’s growing tech sector.
Education experts say the pilot could also help narrow the digital divide in Central Asia, where access to advanced technologies varies widely. Tajikistan’s program may serve as a model for other developing nations seeking to integrate artificial intelligence into public education.
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