International Briefing 29: Training and Development in Kazakhstan

Overview & Synopsis

The Republic of Kazakhstan is located in Central Asia, to the south of Russia and to the north-west of China. It occupies an area equal to 2724.9 thousand sq. km. and stretches east from the Caspian Sea and Volga plains to the Altai Mountains, from the foothills of Tien Shan in the south and southeast to the Western Siberian lowland in the north. The constitution of Kazakhstan provides every citizen with a right to receive a free pre-school education. Primary and secondary education in Kazakhstan is also free and compulsory for all citizens. The primary education in Kazakhstan starts at age six and runs from years 1-5. The secondary education in Kazakhstan runs from years 6 to 8, and roughly corresponds to what is called in the USA, junior high school, or middle school. Higher education consists of two types of institutes in Kazakhstan. The universities, unlike Western universities, offer bachelor degrees with 4 years' duration. The second type of institute of higher education consists of institutes that focus mainly on professional education and prepare students for professional or scientific careers. Two types of vocational education are available in Kazakhstan, namely primary vocational education and secondary vocational education. Vocational schools and Lyceums offer primary vocational education, and it mainly focuses on vocational rather than technical skills. The secondary vocational institutions provide professional educational programmes of secondary vocational education. Colleges (previously known as "Technikums") offer secondary vocational education and concentrate more on preparing students with higher level technical and professional skills. This article discusses the following: (1) Challenges facing the education system in Kazakhstan; (2) Training and development activities in the public sector; (3) Training and development activities in the private sector; (4) Critical assessment of training and development practices; and (5) Academic collaboration in training and development. List of training organizations in Kazakhstan is also included. (Contains 7 tables, 1 figure ad 1 footnote.)