AmCham: Could you tell us about yourself and your professional career?

Alexander: I am a psychologist by my first background and a specialist in the field of education management by the second one. I have been working in the Soros Foundation-Kyrgyzstan for a long time. Actually at present our NGO continues the programs being launched by the SFK some years ago.

AmCham: An OWL is the symbol of FEIS. How and why did you identify this symbol? What does the OWL tell us about your organization?

Alexander: For us an OWL is a symbol of wisdom that is why it was chosen as our logo. Later some sort of collecting tradition appeared in our office. And today you can see more than one hundred and fifty exhibits from all over the world. Since time we have realized the owl to be not only a wisdom essence but quite aggressive, pushing bird, then we have to correspond the image. We consider “aggression” to be a dynamic way of work, active search for new partners, birth and development of new ideas in new spheres. In this occasion we implement a number of projects not only in the field of education but also in a culture and youth policy spheres as well as joint projects with business structures.

AmCham: Your organization implements many successful projects in the educational sphere. In particular, the project “Evergrinia Republic” has earned incredible popularity among young people and is highly appreciated by international and local experts. Could you tell us about this project? Why it is so successful?  

Alexander: That’s it. We realize a great number of different projects. The most part of them is focused on the adult education (target group: teachers, managers, leaders). Nevertheless, the Youth Educational camp “Evergreenya Republic” is the most important and interesting project  for us. Once a year we work with children and build a modern state where the teenagers try to test their abilities to be independent businessmen and politicians. It is just an attempt to make the world a little bit better. Today the YEC Evergreenya alumni of 90s are successful people. We believe they will manage their business, direct their companies and lead our country better than we. The project is actually unique. For the first glance it is unbelievable during twelve days to get such a valuable experience. But it is true. You’d better take your children and welcome to Evergreenya.

AmCham: FEIS is an active member of AmCham’s Social Affairs Committee. Beyond the other goals, the chief priority of the Committee for the next two years is to promote the training of professionals for the private sector. In your opinion, what’s the most important role of the Committee on this issue?  

Alexander: That’s a pity but lack of competence is a key problem in our republic not only in a private sector but in administration, education and public health. In principle this is the sphere where the issues of education are converged with the economics sector. That is why an educational NGO  the Foundation for Education Initiative Support is a member of an AmCham because realizing the projects in a field of reforming of education we search partners among the customers of the product being produced by the system of education.

Certainly would not be able to solve this problem on a state level, nevertheless, Committee is able to highlight that issue and to draw Government and public attention.

AmCham: Present day Bishkek has many educational institutions. Some of them were founded and are being operated under the support of foreign countries and international donors, for instance the OSCE Academy, AUCA, Kyrgyz-Turkish Universities, Kyrgyz Slavonic University, etc. Do you think Bishkek might become a regional educational center, and to what extent does the functioning of those educational institutions impact on the economic development and investment climate in Kyrgyzstan?

Alexander: The idea Kyrgyzstan to be a regional educational center is very attractive. Unfortunately it has not been real. Even today there are many foreign students coming to Kyrgyzstan but we must confess the main motivation for them is a low price of study.

There are many educational institutions in our country but the quality of education leaves much to be desired and it falls down rapidly. The standards become out-of-date. Actually there is not any continuity of generations. There is deep concern about the condition of Early Childhood Development (ECD), primary and comprehensive secondary education. It deprives our country of cultural, educational and economic potential in long-terms. According to the researches – the great economic effect is reachable in case of investment in ECD and primary education. As earlier we understand it, as faster will change smth in education system.

AmCham:  Finally, our traditional question: what would you like to wish AmCham Members?      

Alexander: I wish Prosperity to all the members of AmCham and I do hope our community to be successfully improved in future and it will promote further economic and social development of Kyrgyzstan.