Illustrative photo. Photo: minfin.kg.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has signed a law ratifying a $50 million loan agreement with the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD). The funds will be used to build public schools, the presidential press service reported.
The law was adopted by the Jogorku Kenesh (parliament) on January 29, 2026. The agreement itself was signed on October 9, 2025, in Bishkek.
Under the document, the loan totals 187.5 million Saudi riyals, equivalent to $50 million. The financing is provided in U.S. dollars for 25 years, including a five-year grace period, at an annual rate of 1.5 percent.
The funds are expected to finance the construction of five new secondary schools in Bishkek and seven additional academic buildings at existing schools in the capital. Two more new schools will be built in Chuy Region. The planned capacity of the new institutions ranges from 150 to 1,000 student places.
In the summer of 2025, Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Education reported a shortage of 163,000 school places nationwide. The country has more than 1.5 million students and 2,153 general education institutions. An additional 223 schools of varying capacity are needed.
