Thursday13 February 2025
centralasiabusiness.com

Non-state universities impose an unofficial "tax"? The ministry denies this claim.

The Higher Education Council held a meeting with the leaders of private universities, during which economist Yulia Yusupova stated that contracts were distributed requiring a 4% transfer of tuition revenue. This demand was also made last month. However, in response to a query from Kun.uz, the Ministry of Higher Education denied the existence of such contracts in private institutions. Public activists are condemning these illegal actions.
Министерство отрицает наличие неофициального «налога» в негосударственных вузах.

The requirement to allocate 4% of the funds received from paid education to the development fund of higher educational institutions has resurfaced. Economist Yuliy Yusupov reported that at a meeting with the leaders of private universities, this requirement was voiced, and corresponding contracts were handed over to them. According to him, rectors were made to understand that in this situation, assistance from the public and deputies is powerless.

A similar demand was made in December. At that time, after drawing public attention, Deputy Dilmurad Ortikov sent a parliamentary inquiry to the Minister of Higher Education and the Attorney General.

Reports of the situation repeating itself have sparked criticism on social media. Economist Otobek Bakirov believes that the responsible parties are taking an approach of "when it is forgotten, we will do it our way anyway."

"When entrepreneurs who opened universities were talking about these quasi-voluntary contracts, I initially didn't believe it. But threats emerged to revoke licenses or conduct inspections followed by accusations. This is a pure return to 2015, to the old Uzbekistan. Those who did not sign the 'voluntary contract' and did not pay the 4% may face methods reminiscent of racketeering with 'masked shows',” he stated.

Profi University founder Bektesh Khatamov, after discussing the situation with university leaders, stated that none of them had received such contracts. However, he added that if this is true, the situation resembles the 1990s.

"Do you want to impose your 'tax'? In your language, it's called a 'share.' And what will happen if this 'share' is not paid? Will you kill us? Will we return to the 90s? If we are talking about a contract, what will happen if this legally void document is not fulfilled? If you are 'Atlantes holding up the sky,' then let go of it, let it bury us!" Khatamov emotionally declared.

Journalist Mukhrim Azamkhodjaev also expressed negative sentiments regarding the situation, noting that introducing a 'tax' for private universities is a restriction of freedom.

"... The constitution, president, and parliament are being ignored, while 'taxes' are imposed on private universities. The fact that opening new private universities has been 'prohibited' for years goes without saying. Against the backdrop of all these oddities, Uzbekistan of 2018–2019 seems like an era of freedom that was not even present in America," Azamkhodjaev wrote.

According to economist Bekhzod Khoshimov, the introduction of an unofficial "tax" for private universities is a serious issue in terms of state governance, institutional constraints, and legality.

"Yes, it is sad and important to discuss, as it negatively impacts the education of millions and the educational sector itself. However, a more serious aspect is that mandatory payments, i.e., taxes, are being introduced not through law, not through the Tax Code, not through the Oliy Majlis, but through a meeting protocol. This is a much more serious problem," Khoshimov noted.

Kun.uz contacted the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation to clarify the information presented by Yuliy Yusupov. A ministry representative stated that no contracts were handed over to universities, and decisions made by the Higher Education Council do not have legal force.

It is worth noting that in a statement from the ministry dated December 27, it was also indicated that decisions of the Republican Council of Higher Education are not mandatory, as the council is a non-state non-profit organization.