Exam Time

I may be getting ready for a Persian exam, but Kyrgyz Presidential candidate Feliks Kulov is facing a much weightier exam, a Kyrgyz proficiency test required of Presidential candidates. Most Kyrgyz do speak the language, but under the Soviet Union instruction at the top schools was in Russian. President Akaev's administration promoted Kyrgyz in government even though most of its business has been conducted in Russian since independence. While I admit having a required exam for candidates is problematic, the country will have to move toward Kyrgyz eventually lest a linguisitic rift develop between government and the people.