The first round of applications for School 21 has officially opened in Dushanbe, it was announced today during a press conference. The project is being implemented by the Communications Service under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, in cooperation with Sber.

During the event, officials noted that all citizens aged 18 and above are eligible to apply, regardless of their educational background, work experience, or prior programming knowledge. Education at School 21 is completely free of charge and meets international standards.

First Deputy Head of the Communications Service, Parviz Noriyon, emphasized that training highly qualified IT professionals is one of the country’s key priorities. According to him, School 21 will become an important national institution for preparing digital technology specialists.

First Deputy Director of the Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies, Hakim Ismoilzoda, stated that young people are the country’s greatest asset in the era of artificial intelligence. He stressed that world-class education should be accessible to every citizen and that School 21 will play a significant role in advancing Tajikistan’s digital economy.

According to the organizers, the admission process consists of several stages. After registration and an online assessment, applicants who qualify will participate in a 14-day intensive selection stage known as the “Piscine.” Successful participants will then be able to study in one of more than 20 IT fields, including software development, cybersecurity, data analytics, and other modern specializations.

The press conference also highlighted that School 21 follows a peer-to-peer learning model. Graduates will have opportunities to secure employment with leading technology companies and innovative startups.