Kazakhstan Overhauls Education for Workforce Needs

Why this is here: By 2025, Kazakhstan completed construction on 208 schools, creating over 217,000 new student places primarily in Astana, Almaty, and Turkistan Region.

Kazakhstan began reshaping its education system in 2025 to address labor shortages and skills gaps. The government now prioritizes administrative management, technical training, and digital technologies. A “Comfortable School” project aims to build 369 schools for 740,000 students, though construction delays and rising costs have slowed progress; by the end of 2025, 208 schools were completed.

President Tokayev signed a decree in May 2026 to integrate artificial intelligence into secondary education for personalized learning and teacher support. Roughly 70% of state grants for technical and vocational education now fund engineering and technical fields. More than 4,000 businesses partner with colleges, though participation remains uneven.

Higher education is also changing, with funding linked to rankings and employment rates. The country plans to replace its current university entrance exam with the Admissions Insight Test by 2030, emphasizing critical thinking over memorization. These reforms reflect a move toward centralized management and aligning education with industry demands, but challenges with implementation persist.