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Imagine a school where it is bright, warm and safe, where every child feels comfortable and motivated. Today such schools are becoming a reality all over Kazakhstan thanks to the national project ‘Comfortable School’. Samruk-Kazyna Construction JSC, acting as a single operator of the project, has already completed construction of 104 schools for 217,300 pupils in two shifts out of the planned 208 in 2024. These educational institutions create equal conditions for education in both urban and rural areas, providing a comfortable environment for the all-round development of children.

Each new school is not just a building, but a space of opportunities. Modern technologies, comfortable classrooms, sports and creative areas help to unlock the potential not only of students, but also of teachers. By the end of 2025 it is planned to complete the construction of 104 more schools, providing quality education to thousands of schoolchildren across the country.

At an extended meeting of the Government of Kazakhstan, President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev emphasised the importance of the project.

‘This year the national project ‘Comfortable School’ will come to an end. A wide network of support schools that meet high modern standards is being created across the country. On my instruction, another 1,300 schools will be modernised in all regions over the next three years. In addition, the Government needs to attract private investment in secondary education by creating conditions for the construction of modern schools,’ the President said.

The national project is already having a significant impact on Kazakhstan's education system. According to the Ministry of Education, 422 schools have been built in the country over the past two years, 105 of them under the national project (104 under Samruk-Kazyna Construction and 1 through PPP), creating 510,000 new pupil places. This is a record figure, which helped to eliminate 32 emergency schools and 71 three-shift schools, as well as reduce the shortage of pupil places in 200 schools in Kazakhstan.

Today it is important to realise that comfortable schools will be able to become centres of cultural, creative and sporting development for young people, stimulating diverse interests and enriching social life. They will be an integral part of the social sphere, especially in the regions.

The success of the project depends not only on the state, the operator, construction companies and teachers, but also on society as a whole. Parents play a key role in the educational process. It is important to participate in the life of the school, attend parent meetings, interact with teachers and administration. In the face of modern challenges such as bullying, use of illegal substances, psychological problems, parental attention to education becomes even more important. The business community can contribute to the development of school infrastructure by providing additional equipment, optional educational programmes and courses, awarding grants and scholarships to graduates on a competitive basis for admission to universities. Local communities can support the school through volunteering initiatives, participating in cultural and sporting events, strengthening the link between schools and the community. Media and bloggers play an important role in publicising the project. By reporting on the changes and the stories of students and teachers, they help to build community support.

The updated school infrastructure contributes to improved safety. Comfort schools are equipped with video surveillance cameras without blind spots, separate entrances and exits for different age groups, and safe bathrooms and showers. In addition, comfortable schools are equipped with a barrier-free environment for children with special needs: equipped with ramps, lifts, special toilet rooms and inclusive education rooms.

The national project bridges the gap between urban and rural education, creating a single standard of quality across the country. Of particular importance is the fact that more than 40 per cent of schools are located in rural areas. President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev stresses the importance of developing rural schools as intellectual and social centres, noting: ‘It is important to develop rural schools as intellectual and social centres. It is not for nothing that they say: ‘A village lives as long as there is a school’. This means that children from small settlements have access to education at the level of urban schools.

The Comfortable School project has already proved its significance by forming an innovative educational environment for the children of Kazakhstan. This is not just the construction of new buildings - it is the creation of a generation ready for the challenges of the modern world. Together we can turn this project not just into an implemented state programme, but into a large-scale movement that changes the lives of our children for the better.