Uzbekistan is set to begin a phased transition to an updated Uzbek alphabet. Once the relevant law comes into force, the new writing system is planned to be introduced in schools, the media and official paperwork.
Starting in 2027, new textbooks will be prepared for first-grade students, with the transition gradually extended to other grades. The complete renewal of school textbooks is planned by 2031. Special seminars and awareness programmes will also be organized to prepare teachers for the transition.
The new Latin-based alphabet will consist of 28 letters and one apostrophe. In particular, the letter combinations “Sh” and “Ch”, as well as “Oʻ” and “Gʻ”, will be replaced by the individual letters “Ş”, “Ç”, “Ö” and “Ğ”.
The reform of the Uzbek alphabet comes amid broader processes of linguistic rapprochement across the Turkic world. An important step in this direction was the adoption of the Common Turkic Alphabet, with the work coordinated by the Turkic Academy.
The Commission on the Common Turkic Alphabet was established in 2022 within the Turkic Academy under the auspices of the Organization of Turkic States. Representatives from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan took part in its work. On September 11, 2024, the Commission adopted the Common Turkic Alphabet in Baku, consisting of 34 letters.
Today, this process is gaining practical momentum at the national level, including in Uzbekistan, where the updated alphabet will be gradually introduced across key areas of public life.
