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Politics

Tashkent names a first deputy prime minister to run the new education and science ministry

Erkinjon Turdimov, governor of Syrdarya region since January 2025, was appointed by presidential decree on Friday as first deputy prime minister and minister of education and science, Gazeta.uz reported at 19:16. The post is new in the cabinet’s structure, created alongside the ministry that merged school and higher education this month. A secretariat for education, science and health answers to Saida Mirziyoyeva.

By CAW Staff12 October 2026
Two tall stacks of slate-blue textbooks pushed into one column on a sand-colored desk, an amber ribbon marking the middle.

The decree relieved Turdimov as Syrdarya’s hokim in connection with the appointment, Gazeta.uz wrote. The ministry he takes was formed by merging the Ministry of Preschool and School Education with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation under the decree of 3 October.

Turdimov was born in 1969, worked at Uzpromstroybank’s regional branches from 1991 to 1995 and was deputy hokim of Zarafshan. He governed Navoi region from 2008 to 2016, Surkhandarya from December 2016, Samarkand from July 2018 to November 2024 and Syrdarya from January 2025, by the outlet’s account.

The ministry he takes was formed by merging the Ministry of Preschool and School Education with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation under the decree of 3 October.

The same document set up a secretariat for education, science and health in the cabinet and placed control over the three areas with the head of the presidential administration, Saida Mirziyoyeva.

Gazeta.uz’s account names no successor in Syrdarya.

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