System of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan

System of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (short review) 
 
The education system of Kazakhstan comprises next levels:  
1.    Secondary Education: 
-    Preschool Education and Upbringing: 
-    Primary Education; 
-    Basic Secondary Education; 
-    General Secondary Education; 
-    Technical and Vocational Education. 
2.    Postsecondary Education; 
3.    Higher (Graduate) Education; 
4.    Postgraduate Education. 
 
PRESCHOOL EDUCATION 
 
Preschool Education and Training - the first level of continuing Education System of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which creates conditions for the formation and development of the child’s personality, taking into account age and individual characteristics. 
Children's rights to get preschool education and training are provided by a network of preschool organizations, preschool groups in the orphanages and boarding schools for orphans and children left without parental care, preschool classes and preschool groups in extracurricular organizations. 
The following age periods, reflecting the peculiarities of physical and mental development of children are established in the Republic of Kazakhstan: 
1.    I  group of infants (before 1 year old) 
2.    II group of infants (from 1 to 2 years old)  
3.    I junior group (from 2 to 3 years old)  
4.    II junior group (from 3 to 4 years old)  
5.    Middle group (from 4 to 5 years old) 
6.    Senior group (from 5 to 6 years old) 
7.    Preparatory group (from 6 to 7 years old) 
The main objectives of preschool education and training are: 
-    protection of life and promotion of healthy lifestyle to children; 
-    harmonious development of the child's personality, satisfaction of his interests and develop abilities; 
-    formation of social and spiritual qualities of the person allowing the child to live and work productively in social and natural environment; 
-    implementation of the necessary correction of deviations in the child’s development; 
-    promoting communicative, cognitive, play and other activities, the formation of learning needs; 
-    development of initiative, curiosity, capacity for creative self-expression; 
-    ensuring emotional well-being of each child. 
 
 
SECONDARY EDUCATION 
 
The Secondary Education is mainly provided in schools, gymnasiums, lyceums and profile schools. According to the content of education programs Secondary Education consists of: 
1.    Preschool Education and Upbringing – children from 1 to 5 years old; 
2.    Primary Education – children from 6 years old, 4 years of study; 
3.    Basic Secondary Education – 5 years of study; 
4.    General Secondary Education – 2 years of study; 
5.    Technical and Vocational Education: 
-    3-4 years of study for persons with Basic Secondary Education; 
-    2-3 years of study for persons with General Secondary Education. 
 
The following education programmers are used in the Secondary Education system: 
a)    Specialized education programs are aimed at teaching in depth certain subjects of education program in order to fully develop gifted students potentials. 
b)    Special education programs are developed taking into account the development abilities and potentials of students and pupils, which are defined considering principles of psychological, medical and pedagogical consultations for different categories of people. 
c)    Additional education programs are designed to afford an opportunity for students to develop their creativity, properly adapt to social life, form civil consciousness, develop general culture, healthy life-style and meaningfully organize their leisure time. 
d)    Experimental education programs are implemented in educational organizations which work in experimental regime in order to try new educational technologies and to introduce a new content of education. 
e)    Professional education programs of Technical and Vocational Education. 
 
State standard documents of secondary education: 
 
a)    Certificate of Basic Secondary Education 
Those pupils, who passed final attestation and mastered education program of basic secondary education are awarded with a Certificate of Basic Secondary Education. Persons with mental development disabilities, who finished correctional educational organizations, are awarded with a Certificate of Basic Secondary Education. 
b)    Certificate of Basic Secondary Education with honors 
Those pupils, who finished 9 forms with “5” (A) in year and final grades in all subjects, which are included in the Certificate of Basic Secondary Education, are awarded with a Certificate of Basic Secondary Education with honors. 
c)    Certificate of General Secondary Education 
Those school graduates, who mastered education program of General Secondary Education and passed final attestation, are awarded with a Certificate of General Secondary Education. 
d)    Certificate of General Secondary Education with honors 
Those pupils, who finished 10th and 11th years with “5” (A) grade in year and final state attestation in all subjects, are awarded with a Certificate of General Secondary Education with honors. 
e)    Certificate of General Secondary Education “Altyn Belgi” (Gold Medal) 
Those pupils, whose all years and final grades are “5” (A) in all subjects of Basic Secondary and General Secondary levels, and who passed final state attestation with excellent grades are awarded with a Certificate of General Secondary Education with badge “Altyn Belgi” (Gold Medal). 
 
Technical and Vocational Education 
Technical and Vocational Education is a component of Secondary Education and is directed on training of the qualified experts of technical and serving work.  
Technical and Vocational Education is carried out in professional lyceums, schools, colleges and higher technical schools on the basis of: 
-    Basic Secondary Education; 
-    General Secondary Education. 
 
f)    Diploma of Technical and Vocational Education 
The diploma of Technical and Vocational Education is awarded after completion of:  
-    3-4 years of secondary schooling for those with Basic Secondary Education (9 years); 
-    2-3 years of schooling for those with General Secondary Education (11 years). 
 
Levels of Technical and Vocational Education: 
-    After 2 years of study and passing through intermediate attestation a student is awarded appropriate professional qualification (rank, class, category) in specified specialty. 
-    After 3 years of study and passing through intermediate attestation a student is awarded advanced professional qualification in specified specialty. 
-    After completing of study course and passing through final attestation a student is awarded professional qualification of a specialist of middle level. 
 
POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION 
 
Professional education programs of Postsecondary Education are aimed to train junior level specialists on humanitarian specialties from the students with General Secondary Education or Technical and Vocational Education. 
Duration of Postsecondary Education professional programs (except medical specialties) are: 
-    not less than 2 years for persons with completed General Secondary Education; 
-    not less than 1 year for persons with completed Vocational Education. 
 
HIGHER EDUCATION 
 
Higher Education can be obtained by persons with: 
-    General Secondary Education 
or  
-    Technical and Vocational Education  
or  
-    Postsecondary Education.  
Professional education programs of Higher Education are provided in higher education institutions (universities, academies, institutes, as well as in conservatoires, higher schools and higher colleges which equated to higher education institutions). 
Those students, who passed final attestation and mastered professional education program of Higher Education, are awarded qualification and Bachelor’s academic degree:  
I cycle degree – Bachelor’s degree (requires minimum 4 years of study, 142-148 credits). 
 
State order for training specialists with Higher Education 
The Government allocated 35425 education grants for the 2010-2011 academic year for training specialists with higher education (among them 34425 full-time courses and 1000 by correspondence form of study). 
In comparison with education period 2009-2010 the amount of state order was increased on 1085 education grants. 
 
Availability of Higher Education 
Persons of the Kazakh nationality who are citizens of other states; foreign citizens and persons without the citizenship, constantly living in the Republic of Kazakhstan can receive free higher education on the basis of the State educational grant. Citizens of the Russian Federation, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic have the same right.  
Educational grants can be awarded to foreign citizens according to the international agreements ratified by Republic of Kazakhstan. At present time citizens of Mongolia, China, Tajikistan, France, Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, India and Pakistan are trained in Higher Education Institutions of Kazakhstan. In 2010 citizens of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Romania and Belarus are planned to be admitted in HEIs of Kazakhstan. 
To the foreign students trained on the basis of the State educational grant the scholarship and 2 times a year indemnification for journey to home are paid. 
 
State expenses for Higher Education 
Average state expenses for one student are 318400 Tenge (approximately 1600 Euro). 
Budgetary funds for the invitation of foreign professors from world leading universities are annually allocated for two HEIs - Al Farabi Kazakh National University and to the L.Gumilyov Eurasian National University. 
 
State standard documents of Higher Education 
In order to bring sorts and forms of Graduate and Postgraduate diplomas to international requirements Government issued Decree #777, May 26, 2009 introducing amendments into the  Government Decree #1310, December 28, 2007 “On approval of sorts and forms of state standard educational documents and rules of their issuing”. 
According to this Decree, next sorts of diplomas have been introduced into Higher Education: 
•    Diploma of Higher Education serial ZhB-B (Bachelor) (ЖБ-Б in Russian); 
•    Diploma of Higher Education with honors serial ZhB-B (Bachelor) (ЖБ-Б in Russian); 
•    Diploma of Higher Education serial ZhB (Specialist) (ЖБ in Russian); 
•    Diploma of Higher Education with honors serial ZhB (Specialist) (ЖБ in Russian); 
•    Unified form of supplement (transcript). 
Diplomas and supplements are filled in three languages: Kazakh, Russian and English. 
Diploma of Higher Education serial ZhB (so called “Specialist diploma”) requires minimum five-year study and is equivalent to Master’s degree diploma. 
 
POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION 
 
Postgraduate Education can be acquired by persons with Higher Education and consists of two levels: 
II cycle - Master’s degree: 
-    On main specialty – requires 1-1.5 years of study beyond the Bachelor's degree, 36 credits;  
-    On scientific-pedagogical specialty – requires 2 years of study beyond the Bachelor's degree, 47 credits. 
III cycle - PhD degree (requires minimum 3 years of study, 66 credits). 
 
State standard documents of Postgraduate Education 
•    Diploma of Master degree serial ZhOOK-M (ЖООК-М in Russian); 
•    Diploma of PhD degree serial ZhOOK-D (ЖООК-Д in Russian); 
•    Unified form of supplement (transcript) has been introduced. 
Diplomas and supplements are filled in three languages: Kazakh, Russian and English.