ASTANA – Early age education and preschool programmes affect a child’s future academic performance and health. The number of children’s centres and kindergartens in Kazakhstan is growing every year and the government continuously encourages businesspeople to open new kindergartens and support them financially.
The capital offers numerous public and private preschool institutions for children ages one-seven. In general, the kindergartens focus on trilingual education, the Montessori programme and physical education. Preschool centres with an English language focus are becoming increasingly popular.
Baby school kindergarten endeavours to create a family-like atmosphere ensuring a child’s active cognitive and creative activities.
“Our baby school kindergarten offers pre-school education. Native English speakers conduct lessons every day. Our teachers use a special programme to teach foreign language. We also have a speech therapist, paediatrician, music teacher, choreographer and pre-school preparation courses,” children’s centre director Aizhan Ramazanova told The Astana Times.
The centre also has Saturday and Sunday groups with English language lessons. The classes welcome up to 20 children from one and half years to seven years.
Haileybury Kindergarten, based on the British education programme, offers a special course of study including elements of the Montessori system and Steiner’s pedagogical theory. The curriculum, along with academic development, also covers social and physical education and develops creative thinking.
“An individual approach to each child helps him or her learn how to cope with new tasks, cooperate and respect each other and comply with the rules,” notes the kindergarten’s website.
The educational programme includes art and music lessons, physical education and dance. Children learn English from the beginning with visits to the librarian, who reads them tales and stories.
Gymboree Play&Music is among the leaders in development programmes for newborns to six-year olds. For more than 40 years, their specialists have fostered creative abilities, curiosity, literate and clear speech to form a child’s sense of self-confidence.
“Gymbo camp for children from three-five years offers English-speaking lessons during four hours every weekday. Children are involved in music, art, sports, dance, yoga, fairy-tale therapy, role-playing and table games in Kazakh and Russian languages,” according to the website.
Gymboree centres introduce world languages to kids in a fun way. The chain offers its training programmes in 700 centres in 33 countries.
