News

The recent discussion around the national project ‘Comfortable School’, caused by the critical remarks of deputy Kazybek Isa made at a meeting of the Majilis of the Parliament, has again raised the issue of criteria for assessing the effectiveness of state educational initiatives. These statements caused active discussion among Kazakhstani people, and the participants of discussion came to the conclusion that the public should get a full picture of what is happening.

On 18 March, responsible employees of the single operator of the national project ‘Comfortable School’ - Samruk-Kazyna Construction JSC - on behalf of the Head of the Board arrived in Shymkent to familiarise themselves with the situation on site. As part of the visit, an informal meeting was held with the founder of the polylingual lyceum ‘Auzhan KTL’ Alimkhan Abzhanov, and they also inspected the comfortable school for 600 seats in the Akzhar neighbourhood and the lyceum.

They checked the current condition of the two buildings, familiarised themselves with the quality of construction, design solutions and equipment of the facilities, and made sure they meet the requirements. In addition, the experts compared the common and distinctive features of the two schools by studying their buildings, sports grounds, laboratory equipment, furniture, visual aids and technological equipment.

The parties toured the educational institutions, exchanged views and agreed to continue co-operation in the future. At the end of the meeting, the parties recognised the significant difference in construction costs between private facilities and public buildings constructed in accordance with legal requirements, and also came to the understanding that this issue is closely linked to the need to support domestic producers.

In this context, the general conclusion was that the very comparison of private educational facilities with schools built in accordance with state requirements is incorrect.

‘It is gratifying that in the holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of Nauryz holiday we were able to discuss all the issues that arose. We came to the conclusion that both public and private systems have their strengths and it is important to ensure diversity in the country's educational system,’ Alimkhan Abzhanov said.

He also added that the idea of building educational institutions within the framework of the national project ‘Comfortable School’ deserves attention:

‘Kazakhstani children should have the opportunity to receive modern education in comfortable conditions in both public and public schools’.

During the visit, Saken Ashirbayev, regional head of Samruk-Kazyna Construction JSC for Turkestan region, noted that comparison of comfortable schools with private educational organisations such as Auzhan KTL is absolutely incorrect.

‘The concept of development of private and public schools has a number of key differences concerning their goals, financing, management and educational approaches,’ he emphasised.

It is therefore important not to contrast the two systems, but to strive for their harmonious development, ensuring high standards of education in both the public and private sectors. Both concepts have their advantages and disadvantages, and the choice between private and public schools depends on the needs of the family and the availability of educational institutions in a particular region.

It should be noted that the national project ‘Comfortable School’, initiated by the head of state, is focused on eliminating emergency schools and the shortage of pupil places, especially in densely populated areas where the problem of three-shift education persists. It provides equal conditions for all schoolchildren, regardless of family income and region of residence, and is completely free of charge. The use of standard projects, EPC contracting mechanisms and the e-qurylys electronic platform helps to reduce costs, speed up construction and make the process as transparent as possible.