Nearly 27,000 children have already been enrolled in the first grade in Almaty this year. Of these, 57% will study in the state language. This was announced by the head of the city’s Department of Education, Sairan Saifedenov, at a press briefing at the Regional Communications Service, reports Adyrna.
According to him, the demand for education in the state language is increasing every year. Today, 51% of all students in the metropolis are studying in Kazakh.
“For example, in 1990, only 11,000 students studied in the state language, whereas this year the number has reached nearly 177,000. In other words, this figure has grown naturally 16-fold,” said Saifedenov.
He noted that every citizen of Kazakhstan has the right to choose the language of instruction for their child. According to current regulations, schools are obliged to accept all children living within their service area, while the language of instruction in newly opened schools is determined based on public demand.
“Over the past 12 years, 24 new schools have been opened in Almaty, 19 of which, or 80%, provide education in the state language. In addition, under the national project ‘Schools of the Future’, 12 new schools are planned, of which 9 will be in Kazakh. All this is based on parents’ demand,” the head of the Education Department emphasized.
At the briefing, it was also noted that the main priority is to create a comfortable and accessible educational environment that meets the needs of the population.
It should be noted that applications for first grade enrollment will continue until August 31.
