Training
The preschools have, on average, declined sharply.
Several were closed down during the 1990s. Nowadays (2008),
only 27% of children of preschool age have a place in such
schools. The school system in Kazakhstan provides an
opportunity for almost eleven years of schooling. The
tuition is free of charge, but parents pay for leisure
activities within the school framework, such as sports,
music and sometimes even laboratory equipment. For those who
can afford, there are a number of private school options.
Lack of facilities and teachers in the public school makes
the children in many places read in shifts. The children
start primary school at the age of 7. From the fifth school
year, you go on to the seven-year secondary school, which is
divided into two stages (5 + 2). About 99% attend primary
school and 92% secondary school (2005). See TOPSCHOOLSINTHEUSA for TOEFL, ACT, SAT testing locations and high school codes in Kazakhstan.
In addition to Kazakh and Russian-speaking classes, there
are also minority language classes, including Korean,
German, Uzbek and Uighur. About 3% of children attend such
minority classes.
Literacy is high, only 2.5% of the population is
estimated to be illiterate.
Kazakhstan now has several universities, of which those
in Alma-Ata (al-Farabi Kazakh National University) and
Astana (LN Gumilyov Eurasian National University) are
considered the top. The University of Karaganda also has a
good reputation. Alongside these are some international
universities, including Kazakh-British Technical University
(Alma-Ata) and Kazak American University (Alma-Ata), where
the education is given entirely in English. In addition,
there are a number of technical colleges and other
specialized colleges.
In April 2011, Nazarbayev was re-elected with 95.5% of
the vote. The election had been accelerated from 2012 after
the Constitutional Council refused to extend the
presidential term to 2020. OSCE regretted that the election
had been marked by a lack of transparency and election
campaign. In January 2010, Kazakhstan had taken over the
OSCE chair. The country's close allies, the EU and the US,
failed to comment on the outcome.
In July, EU Foreign Commissioner Catherine Ashton
welcomed the negotiations for a "strengthened partnership"
between the EU and Kazakhstan.
In May, the oil workers at the Ozenmunaigas oil field
went on strike in protest of the non-payment of the normal
hazard allowance. The local courts declared the strike
illegal and the oil companies fired 1,000 workers. Some of
the firemen then initiated a permanent occupation of the
central square in the city of Zhanaozen. On May 24, lawyer
and trade union activist Natalia Sokolova was sentenced to
"administrative detention" for having called for an illegal
act in Aktau. In August, she was sentenced to 6 years in
prison for her political and professional activities and her
appeals rejected. In mid-December 2011, some of the workers
in the space occupation began demanding the right to form
political parties, independent of the state apparatus. On
December 16, police began clearing the workers from the
square. Officially in preparation for the nation's national
day. During this campaign, the police opened fire on the
protesters and killed 16. According to the police, the
violence had occurred after «bandits» had infiltrated the
demonstrators and attacked the police. Over 100 were
injured. The day after, the government declared the area in
20 days of state of emergency. In May 2012, the regime
brought the surviving workers and a number of opposition
politicians and activists to justice. They could report that
they had been subjected to abuse and torture while under
arrest by police. Popular Kazakh singer Bavyrjan produced a
song criticizing Nazarbayev's regime for not listening to
the workers. The song was immediately banned by the
government.
In September 2012, Nazarbayev removed Prime Minister
Massimov and made him Chief of Staff in the Presidential
Palace. It was seen as an attempt to balance the various
factions in government. The Prime Minister's post was taken
over by Serik Akhmetov. Already in April 2014 he again
transferred the post to Karim Massimov.
EU Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton
visited Kazakhstan in November 2012. She failed to take up
human rights. The EU gives priority to trade with the
country. In June 2013, President of the European Union, Jose
Manuel Barroso visited Kazakhstan. He failed to take up
human rights. The EU gives priority to trade with the
country. In July 2013, the annual meeting of the
US-Kazakhstan Strategic Partnership Commission was
conducted. The United States failed to address human rights.
The superpower gives priority to trade with the country.
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