ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited a newly constructed school in the capital on Dec. 15, funded entirely by assets reclaimed from corrupt officials, the Akorda press service reported.
President Tokayev visited a newly constructed school gymnasium in the capital on Dec. 15 Photo credit: Akorda press service
The establishment of the school resulted from President Tokayev’s state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1 last year, which proposed utilizing recovered funds for constructing educational institutions. This underscored the government’s unwavering commitment to redirecting unlawfully acquired resources towards constructive and socially beneficial initiatives.
In May of this year, the Ministry of Education in Kazakhstan revealed an extensive list of upcoming educational projects financed through confiscated assets. According to the ministry’s official document, this list includes 62 projects worth 96.5 billion tenge ($212.3 million), financed by assets seized from corrupt officials. The aim is to construct new schools and expand existing ones to accommodate increasing student population.
Robotics holds great promise, and I support its advancements, said Tokayev during his meeting with students on Dec. 15 Photo credit: Akorda press service
The strategic plan involves opening ten schools in Astana and the Almaty Region, followed by plans to establish nine schools in the Turkistan region.
During his visit to a newly opened school, which alleviated the burden on other schools on Astana’s left bank by enrolling 1,466 students, President Tokayev familiarized himself with the social and humanitarian school gymnasium operations, where the curriculum extends beyond traditional subjects to disciplines such as English, French, Chinese languages, and robotics, among others.
The school contributed to alleviating the burden on other schools on Astana’s left bank, enrolling1,466 students. Photo credit: Akorda press service
School Director Saule Temenova highlighted the school’s commitment to inclusive education, with individualized training programs designed for each student. The gymnasium boasts dedicated facilities for inclusive support, pre-profile training, and physical therapy, catering to the needs of 28 students with special educational needs.
President Tokayev toured various sections of the school, including the robotics room, and engaged in conversations with students.
“Robotics holds great promise, and I support its advancements. There is a global emphasis on artificial intelligence, including in Kazakhstan. The significance of this direction cannot be overstated. It is anticipated that in the future, artificial intelligence will play a pivotal role across various domains. I am confident that Kazakhstan should strive to become a leading nation in this pivotal area,” said Tokayev.
In discussions with school staff, President Tokayev underscored the government’s commitment to enhancing the status of teachers through continued measures. He was also briefed on the state of the education system in Astana by Kasymkhan Sengaziyev, the head of the Astana education department.
Sengaziyev reported on the ongoing efforts to meet educational demands, with plans to commission 12 schools accommodating 16,000 students by the year’s end. Seven schools have already been opened, and five are slated for commissioning in the coming weeks.
Tokayev also received a briefing on the progress in implementing his directive to establish a higher pedagogical educational institution in Astana, underscoring the government’s commitment to advancing the educational landscape in the country’s capital.
