The Republic of Uzbekistan will be the partner country of the 10th International Conference "Early Childhood Care and Education". Uzbekistan has adopted a systematic approach to early childhood education just recently. Until 2017, it was administered by the Ministry of Public Education. Preschool institutions reached out at that time to about 30% of children nationwide. Aiming to radically enhance the preschool education system, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev established the Ministry of Preschool Education (MPE).

By the end of 2019, the number of private and municipal kindergartens in Uzbekistan amounted to 13,500. MPE succeeded in boosting the preschool education coverage up to 52% — compared to 27.7% and 37.7% in 2017 and 2018, respectively. It is planned to reach 59.5% this year. On December 16, the President enacted the Law on Preschool Education and Care, which guarantees rights of children to preschool education, as well as rights and duties of their legal representatives and teachers. The law specifies two forms of preschool educational institutions (PEI): state and non-state. Non-state PEIs also include those founded by means of a public-private partnership.

ECCE 2020 is planned to be attended by Agrippina Shin, the Minister of Preschool Education of Republic of Uzbekistan. She will speak on the actions the government has taken to ensure that children are provided with high-quality mandatory preschool education.