Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a law revising the Uzbek alphabet based on the Latin script, Head of the Presidential Administration Saida Mirziyoyeva announced on October 21.
Mirziyoyeva noted that the changes were necessary to address long-standing difficulties in writing Uzbek and strengthen the language’s position in the digital environment.
“This has been a controversial issue for years, with no end in sight. On December 11, 2023, in my speech at a conference dedicated to the Jadid heritage, I proposed an alphabet correction initiative, saying that it was time to put an end to this controversy,” she wrote.
She added that the reform was intended to eliminate inconveniences in writing and improve the use of Uzbek in digital technologies.
The updated alphabet will contain 28 letters and one punctuation mark. Its main principle is “one sound — one letter,” with changes to the forms of Oʻ, Gʻ, Sh and Ch. The combination Ng will be removed from the alphabet, although its pronunciation will be retained in spelling rules.
The reform is expected to simplify typing on computers and smartphones, improve internet searches and indexing, and facilitate the development of artificial intelligence models that convert text into speech.
To limit costs and avoid disrupting everyday life, previously issued documents, national currency and securities will remain valid. Existing textbooks, educational materials, signs and other indicators will be replaced gradually as they reach the end of their service life.
The law will enter into force six months after its official publication. From 2027, first-grade textbooks will begin to appear in the revised alphabet, with the full replacement of textbooks planned by 2031. The transition is expected to take place within the existing textbook renewal schedule, without requiring additional funding.
Media outlets and official documents will also gradually transition to the updated standard.
“The adoption of this law on October 21 has a deep symbolic meaning. I believe that our revised alphabet will serve the dream of our enlightened ancestors, the literacy of our youth, and the promotion of our language,” Mirziyoyeva said.
The reform follows several months of legislative work. On June 7, the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis adopted a draft law amending the legislation on introducing the Uzbek alphabet based on the Latin script and sent it to the Senate. Researchers from the Institute of the Uzbek Language, Literature and Folklore of the Academy of Sciences also participated in developing the proposals.
The Senate approved the law on September 10, paving the way for the presidential signature.