Teachers were allegedly involved in forced labor in Namangan

Reports recently surfaced on social media claiming that teachers at School No. 24 in Torakorgan district were involved in forced labor. In response, the Namangan Region Department of Preschool and School Education issued a statement addressing the situation.

A working group from the district’s education department investigated the claims and found that the teachers and technical staff had voluntarily participated in efforts to improve the schoolyard as part of the "Initiative Budget" project aimed at school repairs.

"The school’s principal has since been given a formal warning, with clear instructions not to engage teachers or any educational staff in tasks outside their professional duties. The Namangan education department emphasized that strict measures are in place to prevent any form of forced labor or other non-educational work, by labor legislation," the administration said.

In a related incident, a video showing students working the soil with hoes in Samarkand went viral. The Samarkand Region Department of Preschool and School Education clarified that the students participated in the activity voluntarily.