The education in Kazakhstan is conducted in two languages -Kazakh and Russian. The constitution prohibits any discrimination on the basis of language and guarantees equal rights in education regardless of nationality. Secondary education is compulsory in Kazakhstan. Children start school at the age of 7 and finish at 17 as a rule a child attends the school, located in the neighborhood. However, in big cities there are so -called special schools, offering deeper studies of the major European languages(French, English, German) or the advanced courses in physics and mathematics and children, attending one of these may have to commute from home.
The first stage of education in Kazakhstan is elementary school for grades one through four. The second is secondary school for middle grades from five through nine. Upon graduation from secondary school students are given the choice of either continuing to attend the same school or entering a vocational or technical school. Both of these schools are meant to provide one, along with certificate of secondary education with a number of useful skills (e.g. those of an electrician, technical or computer operators). Having completed one’s secondary education, one can either become a part of work force or go on college (institution of higher learning-Institute).
To be admitted to the institute one has to pass a series of oral or written tests. Marks in the certificate of secondary education are also taken into account. Entry to higher institution is quite competitive. Some college departments (law, journalism, foreign language -especially English) have dozens of applicants for one prospective student's position. The system of higher education prepares highly -skilled experts on economy, transport, agriculture, medicine, languages and others.
Education in Kazakhstan has until recently been free on all levels. College students with good marks are rewarded with stipend. The government subsidized all institutions of higher learning. Now that the country is changing to a market place economy, the system of education is also bound to undergo profound changes. In 1990 the first private school appeared in Almaty. Today there are more than 200 private secondary and high schools in the country. For the last two years the number of non-government higher education institutions has increased twice. The work of private institutions is evaluated by a special accreditation commission, which gives out a special license. Today the young people of the Kazakhstan have the opportunity to choose and acquire various types of education and build their lives according to their ambitions.
