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Alikhan Orazaly.
Going to a government office, waiting in a queue and collecting several documents is becoming less common. In Kazakhstan, more and more public services are moving online. This is an important change because digital services can save people’s time and make interaction with the government easier. However, digitalization should not mean that people who are not comfortable with technology are left behind.
In September 2026, the Government of Kazakhstan reported that more than 90% of public services were already available online. The country is also developing eGov 3.0, and 51 of the most popular government services are now available through eGov GPT.
These numbers show how quickly public administration is changing. But they also raise an important question: is an online service automatically an accessible service?
I do not think so.
For many people, using eGov is already a normal part of everyday life. A person can get a certificate, check information or apply for a service without visiting a Public Service Center. This is clearly more convenient than spending time travelling to an office and waiting in line.
Digital services can also help the government work more efficiently. If a service is provided automatically, public employees can spend less time processing simple requests and more time dealing with complicated cases. The government is also moving toward proactive services, where the state can identify that a person may be eligible for support instead of waiting for that person to submit many documents.
However, not everyone has the same level of digital skills.
This is especially important for older people and some residents of rural areas. A person may have a smartphone but still have difficulties using digital government services. Knowing how to use WhatsApp or watch videos on YouTube does not necessarily mean knowing how to use an electronic digital signature, find the correct government service or understand what information is required.
The government itself recognizes this problem. In 2026, the State Corporation “Government for Citizens” provided digital literacy training to more than 18,000 people from rural communities. The purpose was to help citizens learn how to use government services and other digital tools.
This is a good direction, but digital literacy should become a permanent part of digital government policy.
First, every major digital public service should still have a simple alternative for people who cannot use it independently. Digitalization should reduce unnecessary visits to government offices, but it should not completely remove human assistance.
Second, digital services should be designed from the perspective of the citizen. Government websites and applications often contain many sections and complicated terms. A person should not need to understand government procedures in order to receive a basic service. The process should be as simple as possible: what do I need, where do I apply, how long will it take and what will I receive?
Third, digital literacy programs should continue outside large cities. Training should be available in rural areas, not only when a new digital system is introduced. Local service centers, schools, libraries and community organizations could help citizens learn how to use eGov and other public services.
Finally, the government should measure digitalization not only by the number of services available online. It should also measure whether people can actually use these services successfully. Having 90% of services online is an important achievement, but it does not tell us whether every citizen can access them easily.
Digital government should make the state closer to citizens, not create another barrier between them.
Kazakhstan has already made significant progress in digital public services. The next step should not simply be to move more services online. It should be to make those services understandable and accessible to everyone.
The goal of digitalization should be simple: a citizen should spend less time dealing with the government, not more time trying to understand how the government’s technology works.
The author is Alikhan Orazaly, a graduate student at the Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Public Policy.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of The Astana Times.
