Kazakhstan’s rapidly growing economy has driven major social reforms, notably in education. With adult literacy at an impressive 99.8% as of 2020, Kazakhstan has basically eliminated illiteracy among its adult population. Additionally, the government has formalized the right to free secondary and, on a competitive basis, higher education under Article 30 of its constitution, reflecting the ambition to increase both access and quality. The stakes are high: as Kazakhstan pursues its goal of becoming a high-income country, education is seen as the bridge from commodity-based growth to a diversified, innovation-driven economy.
Enrollment, Dropouts and System Stress
Compulsory education now spans 12 years, after reforms were passed in the 2007 Law on Education. However, access is only part of the picture. In primary education, Kazakhstan’s adjusted net enrollment rate stood at around 99% in 2017, with girls slightly ahead of boys. During the 2024-2025 academic year, there were 624.5 thousand students enrolled in higher education, of whom 53% were women, indicating strong tertiary participation. Although access is broad, international testing reveals persistent quality and equity problems. In the most recent PISA 2022 results, 15-year-olds in Kazakhstan scored 425 in mathematics, 423 in science, and only 386 in reading, meaning approximately 50% of students achieved at least the Level 2 proficiency in math – well below the OECD average of 69%. Socio-economic gaps remain, as students from wealthy backgrounds outscored disadvantaged peers by 41 points in mathematics.
Emerging Reforms, Interventions and Looking Ahead
In recent years, Kazakhstan has introduced reforms that go beyond access to focus on learning and outcomes. According to the 2025 TALIS report, 86% of teachers in Kazakhstan say they “frequently” or “always” help students understand their own emotions and thoughts – higher than the OECD average of 68%. One system official described this shift: “We are moving from ensuring all children are in school, to making sure every child is able to learn, think and engage.” Kazakhstan has also gradually given principals responsibility for hiring teachers: 83% of students attended schools where principals had that power (OECD average 60%). These governance changes, combined with reforms in teacher training and curriculum modernization, are creating early signs of progress. However, experts caution it’s too soon to declare a large spike in learning outcomes.
The guarded optimism is due to the fact that resources per pupil remain relatively low compared to OECD counterparts. Research has warned that Kazakhstan’s spending per pupil may be insufficient given its desire to compete globally. While girls are on par with boys in mathematics, they significantly outperform boys in reading – by 27 score points in PISA. Rural-urban divides persist, and recent studies show the growth of elite-private schooling and its possible impact on educational inequality. Regarding higher education, while enrollment is solid, concerns exist about graduate employability and alignment with labor-market needs.
Kazakhstan’s education system is no longer simply about sending children to school; its challenge is turning that access into meaningful learning and opportunity. With almost universal enrollment at lower levels, the focus has shifted to leveling the playing field, improving learning outcomes, modernizing curricula, and preparing teachers for the 21st-century environment. If Kazakhstan can maintain reform momentum that implements real governance changes, it has every chance to transform from an access-focused system to one distinguished by quality, equity and sustainable national growth.
– Jeff Zhou
Photo: Flickr
