The new
school year is just around the corner. Parents are rushing to stock up on
school supplies. Among them is Saltanat Turdybekova, a resident of Astana. She
plans to visit school fairs to purchase supplies for her children, who will be
starting the first and fourth grades this year. According to her, these fairs
offer a large selection of goods at prices below the market rate.
“This year, we started getting ready for school later, but
the prices are still affordable. On average, 50,000 tenge is needed for
stationery and clothing for a child, and 100,000 tenge for two children. The
school uniform should be in black and white; a mix of colors is not allowed. It
is necessary to ensure the child has all the necessary school supplies. Parents
should also take care of the child’s hygiene and proper grooming, instilling
these habits from an early age. This is vital for the common good of children,” said Saltanat Turdybekova, a resident of Astana.
Special
focus is directed towards socially vulnerable population groups. The number of
children from such categories this year amounts to over 450,000. For these
purposes, more than 18 billion tenge has been allocated from the universal
education fund.
“The compulsory education program offers financial assistance in the amount of 41,000 tenge for more than 14,000 children in Astana. The funds are transferred to the parents' special bank account. Also, children are provided with backpacks containing essential school supplies within the annual ‘The Road to School’ charity campaign. The number of children who received assistance amounted to 8,012 last year and 8,500 this year,” said Serik Adylbayev, Deputy Head of the Education Department of Astana city.
3.9 million
children will attend schools in the country this year, with 364,000 of them
being first-graders. On the instructions of the Head of State, free meals will
be provided to primary school students starting from September 1st. Regarding
the trilingual education system, it will be introduced gradually for students.
Thus, first-graders in schools where Kazakh is the language of instruction will
focus solely on Kazakh during their first year. Russian will be introduced
there from the second grade, and English from the third grade. Middle and
senior students can also anticipate upcoming
novelties.
This year, 52 new schools are set to open their
doors. Additionally, 102 more educational institutions are projected to
commence operations by year-end. This will contribute to solving the problem of
emergency and three-shift schools, according to industry experts.