Kazakhstan has tightened the rules for the development and expert review of school textbooks following an auditors intervention, El.kz reports.
An audit revealed systemic flaws in the approaches used to create them.
Authorities have acknowledged that the previous rules are no longer effective.
The changes were initiated by the Supreme Audit Chamber, which pointed out weaknesses in the selection of authors and the evaluation of teaching materials. The audit found that requirements for developers were vague, creating room for subjective decision-making.
The updated rules place strong emphasis on the composition of author teams. Educational materials may now be developed only by teams that include scholars, methodologists, and teachers with verified qualifications. A minimum team composition is now in regulations.
The process of forming the Thematic Plan has been digitized and moved to the portal of the relevant expert center. Publishers submit applications online, and the document itself is subject to mandatory publication. This is expected to reduce the influence of behind-the-scenes arrangements.
The Ministry of Education emphasizes that the new rules are aimed at increasing transparency. Officials believe the system will become more predictable for all participants, while quality should improve thanks to stricter entry requirements.
Auditors also reminded that constant revisions of textbooks placed a heavy burden on the budget. The audit pointed to multi-billion-tenge expenditures and financial violations, which became a key argument for a tough overhaul of the rules.
It was noted separately that textbook evaluation criteria had been changing too frequently. This instability made it difficult to establish a long-term working framework, resulting in schools regularly receiving materials of uneven quality.
Authorities expect that stricter requirements will reduce the number of errors and eliminate subjectivity. The focus is on professional expertise and an open selection process. Under the new rules, textbook review will be mandatory for all future editions.