Kazakhstan's educational renaissance: building schools of tomorrow
In the vast steppes of Central Asia, Kazakhstan is orchestrating a transformative symphony in education,El.kz reports.
The "Comfortable School" national project, launched in 2023, aims to construct 217 new-format schools accommodating 740,000 students by 2025. These institutions are designed with separate blocks for elementary and high school students, equipped with modern subject classrooms, and tailored to ensure safety and accessibility for all pupils, including those with special educational needs.
Beyond urban centers, the initiative extends to rural areas through the development of hub schools. Between 2022 and 2024, 135 rural schools were modernized, with plans to include an additional 56 schools in 2025. These hub schools serve as resource centers for neighboring institutions, offering modern classrooms, STEM labs, and professional development for teachers.
Embracing technological advancements, Kazakhstan is integrating AI-based tools like the Roqed platform and Google for Education into its curriculum. A pilot project has introduced the Google for Education ecosystem in 20 rural schools, aiming to enhance digital literacy and personalized learning experiences.
This comprehensive approach to educational reform reflects Kazakhstan's commitment to bridging the urban-rural divide, fostering innovation, and preparing its youth for a dynamic future. As the nation invests in infrastructure, technology, and teacher training, it sets a precedent for educational transformation in the region.
A National Educational Leap Forward
In his address on September 1, 2022, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the launch of the national project "Comfortable Schools." He emphasized that the quality of secondary education is a crucial factor in building a successful nation. According to the President, every student must be provided with favorable conditions for learning and comprehensive development. The "Comfortable Schools" project aims to create such conditions, promoting equal educational opportunities across the country.
President Tokayev stated, «By 2025, we will ensure that 800,000 children study in modern schools. In this way, we will completely solve the issues of schools in emergency conditions and those operating in three shifts. This will significantly reduce the differences between rural and urban schools.»
On May 21, 2025, Kazakhstan's Minister of Education, Gani Beisembayev, delivered a powerful address outlining the ongoing transformation of the nation's school infrastructure through the "Comfortable Schools" national project, initiated following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s 2022 State of the Nation Address.
The initiative aims to eliminate disparities between urban and rural schools by constructing 217 modern schools, designed to accommodate 460,000 students. As of today, 105 schools have already been built, with 112 more scheduled for completion by the end of the year. These schools are not just buildings – they represent a holistic reimagining of public education in Kazakhstan.
Unified Modern Standards
A core principle of the project is equitable access to quality education, regardless of a child’s place of residence. Nearly half of the new schools are being constructed in rural areas, offering over 200,000 rural students access to advanced educational environments.
Comfortable schools boast a 15–20% larger area compared to standard schools and feature security systems with four times greater technical capacity. Ergonomic design is a hallmark of these new institutions. Unlike most general education schools, comfortable schools include 3 to 4 sports halls each. The school grounds also feature specially designed areas for various events and traditional national developmental games.
Multipurpose assembly halls are designed to transform into conference rooms or art studios as needed. Medical offices, including a doctor’s room, treatment room, isolation room, and filter block, are also incorporated.
State-of-the-Art Technology
The national project «Comfortable Schools» is dedicated to providing children with access to quality, free education in environments that meet modern standards—regardless of the student’s place of residence. This initiative aims not only to upgrade the material and technical base of schools but also to create spaces that nurture children’s creative and intellectual growth.
A distinctive feature of comfortable schools is the separation of primary and secondary student blocks, reducing congestion and significantly enhancing safety by minimizing student interaction across age groups. Each block includes dedicated rest zones for students and teachers furnished with comfortable seating, books, musical instruments, and board games, fostering a supportive atmosphere.
Each school is outfitted with robotics and STEM labs, choreography halls, coworking spaces, four sports halls, and specialized rooms for subjects and initial military training. They are equipped with modern furniture and essential teaching tools in every classroom. These features aim to ease the teacher’s workload while enhancing learning outcomes. Classrooms are equipped with interactive panels, STEM laboratories, and digital platforms, all thoughtfully arranged to meet the needs of both students and educators, thereby ensuring convenience and effective learning.
Each school provides comprehensive opportunities for physical and creative development, including sports fields, hockey and tennis courts, running tracks, and relaxation areas. Depending on the size of the school, there are between two and four sports halls complete with locker rooms, showers, and restrooms. Additional facilities include choreography classrooms and workshops such as «Home Culture,» «Nutrition Culture,» and «Design and Technology» featuring a pottery studio.
Enhanced Security
Safety is paramount, with modern technical measures fully integrated: digital video surveillance connected to centralized monitoring centers, emergency buttons with audio alerts, automatic door and block locking systems, licensed security personnel, and more. The schools are equipped with advanced ventilation, fire safety, and energy-efficient technologies, all built to comply with seismic regulations. Security systems have been significantly improved. All schools feature surveillance and entry monitoring systems. Younger and older students study in separate blocks to ensure safety. The schools prioritize local production, sourcing materials and furniture from domestic manufacturers.
Inclusive education is given special attention. Spacious classrooms are designated for children with special educational needs, featuring separate sanitary facilities. Accessibility is ensured through elevators, ramps, and specialized signage. Inclusive design elements cater to students with special needs, including elevators, ramps, designated symbols, and separate sanitary facilities. Schools are also staffed with psychologists, speech therapists, and special education professionals.Schools also house speech therapy rooms, special education offices, psychologists’ rooms, sensory rooms, and inclusive education support centers.
Modern Teaching Approaches
Teachers are encouraged to use interactive technologies and subject-specific labs tailored to individual student interests. The curriculum integrates the "Honest Citizen" concept endorsed by the President, instilling values such as fairness, hard work, and moral integrity. Environmental awareness and responsible use of resources are emphasized through the "Clean Kazakhstan" ethos.
One of the project’s key priorities is early career orientation. Starting from primary school, students participate in career exploration activities, including professional trial sessions, meetings with industry representatives, and project-based weeks. In secondary school, the focus shifts to in-depth specialization, mentorship, and personalized educational pathways. To support this, the digital platform «Career Compass» is being implemented to help students make informed decisions about their future education and career choices.
Early Career Orientation
Career guidance begins in primary school with profession-themed weeks and guest speakers. From grade 7, students engage in focused academic training, mentorship, and personalized education tracks. A digital platform, "Career Compass," is being developed to help students make informed decisions about their futures.
Schools serve not only as educational institutions but as guidance centers that meet contemporary needs and help shape students’ life paths. High-speed internet (minimum 100 Mbps) is being installed in all schools. Library zones on each floor include reading rooms, media libraries, and coworking areas. Creative workshops, vocational training rooms, and studios–covering areas like tailoring, cooking, IT, and carpentry–are fully equipped to support hands-on learning.
Qualified Personnel
Another priority is staffing these institutions with highly skilled teachers capable of employing modern technologies and methods. Over 3,000 teachers have already completed professional development courses. A continuous training program has been launched to align with national competency standards. Partnerships are being established between school administrations and leading pedagogical universities to attract forward-thinking young educators. School management prioritizes leadership trained under the "1000 Educational Change Leaders" initiative.
A cornerstone of the «Comfortable Schools» initiative is the recruitment and development of highly qualified educators capable of effectively implementing modern technologies and teaching methodologies. To ensure academic excellence, school operations are guided by the principles of effective leadership and management.
School principals undergo specialized training and participate in continuous professional development programs. Preference for leadership positions is given to graduates of the national initiative «1,000 Educational Change Leaders,» ensuring that those at the helm are equipped with the skills and mindset necessary to drive innovation.
To monitor and enhance academic performance, knowledge assessments have already been conducted in 30 newly built schools. Moving forward, these schools will serve as platforms for the modernization of Kazakhstan’s national student achievement assessment system (NSAA), conducted every two years. This data-driven approach will help identify specific gaps in the learning process and enable targeted improvements.
The project also includes the rollout of the «Meyirimdi Mektep» (Kind School) initiative. This program focuses on creating a nurturing and secure learning environment that prioritizes the child’s individual needs, emotional well-being, and moral development. By fostering empathy and a positive school culture, the initiative aims to cultivate well-rounded, socially responsible future citizens.
State Management Model and Strategic Development
A comprehensive state management model for Comfortable Schools has been developed, supported by an approved Roadmap, the overarching concept of Comfortable Schools, and a detailed educational process model. To ensure effective coordination and oversight, a High Supervisory Board is being established. Furthermore, the planned launch of the Institute for the Management of Comfortable Schools will focus on providing methodological support, conducting monitoring, training personnel, and enhancing professional qualifications. Meanwhile, financial and operational management responsibilities will remain under the jurisdiction of regional akimats.
The Comfortable Schools model is intended to serve as the cornerstone for the development of Kazakhstan’s entire general education system, guaranteeing equal educational opportunities for all students regardless of their geographic location. These schools will act as key centers for all secondary education institutions across the country, promoting the dissemination of best practices and enabling the gradual leveling of education quality nationwide.
The national project «Comfortable Schools» is aimed at providing children with access to high-quality, free education in learning environments that meet contemporary standards, regardless of where they live. This initiative is designed not only to upgrade the material and technical infrastructure of schools but also to create spaces that nurture the creative and intellectual potential of every child.
A notable achievement of the project has been the significant reduction in the number of three-shift schools across Kazakhstan — decreasing by three times. The commissioning of new schools has effectively addressed key challenges, including the closure of nearly 100 three-shift schools and the elimination of overcrowding in more than 200 schools nationwide. Currently, out of 8,000 schools in the country, 3,000 operate in a single shift, nearly 5,000 in two shifts, and fewer than 30 schools (only 0.5% of the total) continue to operate in three shifts.
Looking Ahead
These schools are set to become the blueprint for all general education institutions in Kazakhstan. The tested standards, methodologies, and management practices will be disseminated nationwide. A dedicated management system for schools under this national project is already being established.
Minister Beisembayev concluded by highlighting that more than 1,000 schools for over 1 million students have been constructed over the past six years–a record achievement in Kazakhstan’s independent history. The "Comfortable Schools" project forms a key component of this broader strategic undertaking.
«These are not merely school buildings,» the Minister emphasized, «they are sacred institutions where the future of our nation is being forged.» He proposed that schools built under this program be officially named "Schools of the Future." It is hoped that this initiative will garner broad support from all citizens who care deeply about the country’s future generations. By 2026, Kazakhstan's educational landscape will be marked by modern, inclusive, and technologically advanced institutions, embodying the nation's vision for a brighter future.
Significant Positive Changes
Kazakhstan’s education system is experiencing substantial positive transformations. Notably, the project «1000 Leaders of Change in Education» has been launched to foster strong pedagogical reserves based on the model of the Presidential Youth Personnel Reserve. A program for selecting and training highly qualified teachers from this reserve is currently underway.
To improve educational quality, a unified upbringing program has been adopted across educational institutions. As an additional mechanism to make higher education more accessible, the «Keleshek» unified voluntary accumulation system is being developed.
In 2023, more than 88,000 grants were allocated for training personnel with higher and postgraduate education, marking a 23% increase compared to 2021. This figure has been steadily rising since 2019 when the state order volume was 51,000 grants. Since September 1, student scholarships have increased by 20%, reaching 41,898 tenge (with pedagogical sciences scholarships rising to 67,200 tenge). Scholarships for master’s and doctoral students grew by 15%, reaching 97,024 and 217,500 tenge respectively. This year, 25 student dormitories accommodating 5,900 places were put into operation, with plans to open an additional 19 dormitories providing 5,000 places by the end of the year. By 2028, a total of 55,500 dormitory places are expected to be available.
Ultimately, the «Comfortable Schools» national project is set to significantly enhance education quality. The President’s election program included a commitment to establish at least 7,000 modern robotics, chemistry, biology, and physics classrooms. To fulfill this initiative, 1,067 equipped classrooms have already been opened in 718 schools. These classrooms facilitate interactive teaching that helps students develop practical skills, improving their mastery of learning materials and sparking interest in technical and scientific subjects.
According to the Ministry of Education and Science, since the establishment of the Education Infrastructure Support Fund—financed through funds recovered from corruption—151.9 billion tenge have been credited to a special account. Consequently, construction of 62 schools for 76,700 students has been funded with a total of 96.5 billion tenge.
From September 1, 2024 free hot meals have been provided to 1.6 million children, including 1.4 million primary school students and over 200,000 children from socially vulnerable groups. To enhance student safety in public educational institutions, modern security systems have been installed and maintained, including video surveillance, panic buttons, and turnstiles.
«Comfortable School» Project Creates Jobs and Improves Education
Since the launch of the national «Comfortable School» project, over one hundred new schools have been constructed across Kazakhstan, markedly improving learning environments for thousands of students, Minister of Education Ghani Beysembayev reported.
In the capital city, nine new schools built to the «Comfortable School» standard have already opened, helping to partially resolve the longstanding issue of triple-shift schooling. The Minister highlighted that in the Akmola region, a modern school has been built for the first time since independence, while a new state-of-the-art school with a capacity of 1,200 students was commissioned in the village of Koshmambet in the Almaty region. These institutions serve as showcases for the country’s new education quality standards.
«Children now study in spacious, well-lit classrooms equipped with modern technology,» Beysembayev said. «Parents and teachers alike have noted positive changes in the educational environment.»
The project is also stimulating regional economies by creating jobs in construction and education. During the building phase, local construction companies and workers are engaged, generating employment. Upon completion, each school creates dozens of permanent jobs for teachers and support staff. The Ministry estimates that over 30,000 new educators will be needed nationwide by 2026 to staff these new schools.
Beysembayev emphasized that modern schools contribute to regional development by attracting young professionals and retaining families, while improving local infrastructure.
Construction work is carried out under strict authorial and technical supervision by licensed engineers and experts to ensure compliance with building codes and material quality at every stage.
Public oversight has been strengthened through the creation of community councils at schools and local government levels. Additionally, a public monitoring platform developed under the Presidential Administration allows citizens to track national projects’ progress online.
«This dual system of technical and public control allows for prompt identification and correction of any issues,» the Minister noted. The Ministry also monitors construction weekly, holding coordination meetings and employing digital platforms such as Bitrix and Ekurylis for online progress tracking.
The «Comfortable School» initiative aims to eliminate triple-shift schooling and overcrowding by constructing new schools with capacities of a thousand or more students each. The opening of the nine new schools in Astana alone has already partially resolved the triple-shift problem in the capital.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has set a clear goal to fully resolve issues related to emergency and triple-shift schools. Although the original plan was scaled down to 217 new schools, the focus remains on building where overcrowding is most severe. As new schools open, children from triple-shift schools are transferred, gradually eliminating the problem. Over the past two years, 32 emergency schools and nearly 100 triple-shift schools have been closed.
The Minister’s statements underscore the government’s commitment to providing modern, high-quality education facilities to all students, regardless of their region, marking a significant step forward in Kazakhstan’s education reform efforts.
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