April 29, 2025, Bishkek – The U.S. Embassy-funded 2025 Next Generation Education (NextGenEd) teacher training program commenced this month in the Kyrgyz Republic. This initiative, implemented by the Lingua Foundation for Innovative Education, aims to train over a thousand teachers annually. The program opening was celebrated at an event hosted by Arabaev State University, attended by representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Republican Institute of Teachers’ Professional Development, and the U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic. The event also honored this year’s winners of the U.S. Embassy-funded English Language Teacher Olympiad.
Since its inception in 2022, the U.S. Embassy has offered free English language and professional development classes through NextGenEd to 800 English and 400 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) secondary school teachers in all seven regions of the Kyrgyz Republic. The program aims to enhance teachers’ English language and teaching skills through training in project-based, student-centered, and communicative methodologies.
Mr. Jeffrey Bunting, the Cultural Affairs Officer of the U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic, addressed the participants by stating, “the U.S. government supports the NextGenEd program because it is an investment in teachers’ human capital. Teachers’ professional development is one of the most impactful ways to support the students of the Kyrgyz Republic.”
In addition to marking the beginning of the NextGenEd program, Mr. Bunting awarded certificates to the winners of the 2025 English Language Teachers Olympiad. Initiated in November 2021, the Olympiad encourages professional development among secondary school and university English teachers, with over 1,200 teachers participating this year. The Republican Institute for Teacher Professional Development collaborated with the U.S. Embassy and the Lingua Foundation to issue certificates, acknowledging that the training program aligns with national professional development standards for teachers.
For more information about the Next Generation Education and the English Language Teacher Olympiad, visit www.lingua-english.kg.