Uzbekistan is a multinational country where the Uzbek language remains the only official language within the country. While historically the Russian language has served the function of a "lingua franca" for ethnic minorities, and was often viewed as a second "mother tongue" within Uzbekistan, its status appears to be declining with assent of the English language since independence in 1991. Clearly, the English language has been viewed as a more desirable alternative to the more repressive Russian language, and was viewed as a basic opportunity to obtain an internationally based education. It is often seen as the route to better employment within a competitive global marketplace. The importance of English language instruction was underscored by the first President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, and the role of English was also emphasized in both education and the media. The emphasis on continuous English language training was also included in the presidential decree. Today, English language instruction begins in the 1st grade, rather than in the 5th grade of primary school. However, with this emphasis on continuous English language instruction, have teacher education programs in Uzbekistan kept pace? Has there been financial support for the development of quality English language instruction throughout Uzbekistan's schools? Moreover, has this emphasis on quality English language instruction been universal across all populations within Uzbekistan? These issues will be examined in detail within the paper. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]