Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — French language teachers from Uzbekistan have received the opportunity to undertake internships in France on a grant basis.

A delegation from Uzbekistan, led by Minister of Preschool and School Education Khilola Umarova, participated in the 19th summit of the International Organization of La Francophonie, held in France.

During the summit, the Uzbek delegation held several meetings that resulted in significant agreements.

Specifically, Khilola Umarova met with Yann Librati, the head of the University of La Francophonie in Nice, who expressed confidence that Uzbekistan could become a regional center for French language education.

Currently, French is taught as a foreign language in nearly 600 schools in Uzbekistan and as a second foreign language in about 100 educational institutions.

The meeting also addressed the need to expedite various internship and experience exchange programs, to which the French side expressed support.

As a result of the negotiations, an agreement was signed between the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and the University of La Francophonie in Nice, allowing 200 Uzbek French language teachers to undergo internships in France on a grant basis in 2025.