The referendum on alterations and addenda introduced into the Constitution of the Republic took place and all 66 amendments were adopted unanimously. Supporting the amendments into the Principal Law upon the whole the Communist Party expressed its anxiety on the occasion of alterations and addenda concerned with articles 38 and 41 and in the declaration from May 10, 2003 the Presidium of the Central Committee expounded its position being to the following effect: "The CC of the Communist Party of Tajikistan stands against the alterations in reference to articles 38 and 41 which don't ensure real protection of citizens' rights for health service and education and considers it expedient to leave them untouched being formulated in the recension fixed in the presently functioning Constitution".
The question arises - what is the reason of disagreement displayed by the Communist Party on these two articles? In the first, these amendments go counter to the platform of the party its representatives declared before the elections to the Majlisi Oli and local majlises. In the second, ensurance of free of charge education and health service is the principal goal of the party. Just these and some other reasons account for the discord on articles 38 and 41 expressed by the Communist Party. It doesn't mean that Communists stand in disfavor of reforms. They approve of reforms if the latters promote social-economic development of our country and create juridical grounds for further democratization of society. Ensurance of citizens' rights for education and health service is one of the most important goals any state is obliged to pursue. History proved to the utmost that a high potential of people's educated state and health is the paramount element of development in regard to both society and state. The achievements of the Soviet society in the period of the Soviet state's existence confirmed this thesis. The achievements of Tajikistan in the fields of education and health service in the Soviet period also serve as a visual example. And for today qualified and healthy human resources are of great significance for sovereign Tajikistan. The republic needs skillful, healthy young specialists. And so the communist party considers that the alteration of articles 38 and 41 entailing the enforcement of market economy elements in the sphere of health service and partly in education may eventuate in difficulties beset with health protection and education for citizens.
Average salary in the country is 10 dollars or 33 somoni. Nonetheless, not all citizens do have even this sum. A peculiar feature of a Tajik family is the presence of many children: as the press reports, for today 25% of families in Tajikistan have per 6-7 children, 22.8% - per 8-10. practically one person supports seven or eight family members. As a minimum, one child in each family is a senior pupil. Those 33 somoni don't suffice for one family member's meals. If to divide this sum into seven per 4.7 somoni befalls each member. Apart from it, preparation of children for school is also a serious problem for every family. They need manuals, clothes and footwear. Mere calculation shows that only one senior pupil needs 100 somoni to the beginning of a school-year. Into the bargain, a high percentage of poverty among population prevents our children from attending school, they have found their place in streets, markets, mosques and video salons.
The problem of human resources for schools and medical institutions continues to be remaining an acute one. According to the latest data last year Sughd viloyat schools lacked 2673 teachers and medical institutions - 346 doctors ("Haqiqati Leninobod", #6, 2003). The dearth of 5435 teachers was perceived only in secondary schools of Khatlon viloyat ("Varorud", #32, 2003). Upon the whole, there is insufficiency of over 9 thousand teachers over the country. In some districts they are compelled to involve school-leavers into pedagogical activity. If this tendency goes on to be running soon many schools will have been left without teachers and hospitals with polyclinics - without medical personnel.
The situation shaped should be changed not by transference of education and medicine into market economy but at the cost of state subsidies. The communist party sticks to the opinion that only such policy will enable the growth of the level of nation's education, culture and health being the decisive factors of the development of society.