Digitisation Programme Expected to Produce Five
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-3°/-15°C WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2018 No 4 (142) www.astanatimes.com Kazakhstan adopts new version of Latin-based alphabet newspapers and other places,” he By Elya Altynsarina said. Several public figures have ad- ASTANA – President Nursultan dressed the latest amendment. Nazarbayev amended his Oct. 26, Minister of Information and 2017 decree concerning the transi- Communication Dauren Abayev tion of the Kazakh alphabet from expanded the reasons behind the Cyrillic to Latin script, which if amendment. kept, would have put into effect a “The experts working on the Latin-script alphabet with 32 let- matter had concerns over apos- ters including nine characters with trophes, because this mark is used apostrophes. The new amendment as a spacer or special shift-in; it replaces the apostrophes with complicates the web search, even diacritic signs and digraphs. The creating some financial complica- deadline to complete the switch tions,” he said. remains 2025. The president heard the call and The government previously pub- “this version [without apostro- lished an action plan detailing the phes] will be more effective,” he phased transfer to the Latin alpha- added. bet. According to the document, the Predicting the questions from three successive phases will cover the parent and teachers’ commu- 1) regulatory-legal framework nity, Minister of Education and (2018-2020), 2) issuance of official Science Yerlan Sagadiyev said the records including passports and IDs ministry is planning to hold open and trainings for teachers and the discussions with pedagogues and adult population (2021-2023) and will draft and pilot a new ABC 3) actual day-to-day use of Latin book. He stressed the switch to script in public and state offices, as Latin script will start with recep- well as publishing the state media tion grade pupils (a beginning in new alphabet (2024-2025). grade with 6-year-olds) Before switching to the Latin “Only then we can come to a alphabet (a modified variant for schedule for introducing the new Turkic languages also called alphabet,” he said. Yanalif) in early 1920s, the Ka- Nur Otan Party First Deputy zakh language was transcribed in Chairman Maulen Ashimbayev Arabic script. In 1940, however, expressed his support for the new along with other Turkic-speaking version, noting the decision to constituent republics of the Soviet switch to Latin script is an impor- Union, the country was ordered to tant step in modernising the lan- The government is hopeful the switch of the Kazakh language to Latin script will promote the nation’s integration into the international community and enhance the young generation’s opportunities to compete globally. adopt a version of Cyrillic, which guage and adapting it to the global due to incorporating Kazakh-spe- educational, scientific and infor- cific hissing syllables and distinct mation space. pervasive in areas related to basic vowels contains 42 letters. “The amendments make the Ka- needs, such as economic well-being, A public discussion to switch zakh language more practical and food security and health. Women are back to Latin script has long con- functional,” he said. “It is a strate- Kazakhstan supports latest UN 8 percent more likely to live in ab- tinued and grew bigger with Naz- gic decision aimed to work for the ject poverty in Central and Southern arbayev tasking the government in nation’s future.” Asia and 4 percent more likely to 2017 with drafting a plan to begin Capital deputy mayor and pro- live in starvation. Maternal mortality the transfer. fessional philologist Yermek report’s call for gender equality rate in the region reaches 170 deaths The public reaction to the Octo- Amanshayev told city residents the UN Women has an office in Ka- Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy and 100 per 100,000 births. ber version of the script deemed it transfer to Latin script is a system- By Meruyert Abugaliyeva zakhstan and its work is primarily Concrete Steps. Regarding gender equality, about equivocal, objecting, for example, ic work that engaged distinguished related to leadership and political The document goes further than a quarter of women reported expe- to the use of apostrophes as a non- Kazakh scientists and language ASTANA – Kazakhstan is com- participation, combating violence merely promoting SDGs, however, riencing physical and/or sexual vio- starter in the digital age. experts. mitted to the type of gender equality against women, national planning by advocating that sustainable de- lence from her intimate partner with- Anticipating the debate, Sen- “All ideas and suggestions on called for in the UN Women report and budgeting and intergovernmen- velopment can hardly be achieved in a 12-month period. High rates of ate Chairman Kassym-Jomart To- the matter will always be consid- published Feb. 14, UN officials said. tal support. without gender equality. The break- child marriages are registered in kayev warned those who began ered with due diligence. Today, we “Kazakhstan has also committed The recently released UN Women down of goals illustrates that gender Central and Southern Asia, as 16 hastily introducing the apostrophe- see a version that suits everyone. to implementing the SDGs (Sus- report calls for the need to ensure inequality, ubiquitous in all coun- percent of women marry below age based Latin script on outdoor signs But most importantly, it is crucial tainable Development Goals), along women and girls are not left behind tries, is related to all aspects of sus- 16 and 43 percent below age 18. and newspapers. for our people’s future,” he said. with the other member states of the in the organisation’s Sustainable De- tainable development and therefore Moreover, women in the region “The national commission has Tokayev’s recent tweet offered United Nations. Achieving gender velopment Agenda. essential for its fulfilment. are reported to do three times the un- not yet made its final decision on congratulations to fellow Kazakh- equality and eliminating inequali- UN Women, established to pro- The four main recommendations paid care and domestic work com- the transfer of the Kazakh language stanis on the brand-new alphabet, ties between women and men in mote gender equality and female involve adopting integrated policies pared to men. Females hold only into the Latin alphabet. Therefore, commending the amendment as a Kazakhstan will demonstratively empowerment, published “Turn- to achieve multiple goals simulta- 18.5 percent of parliamentary seats it is too soon to use apostrophes in historic event. boost Kazakhstan toward its goal of ing promises into action: Gender neously, producing more statistical and comprise a third of researchers. becoming one of the 30 most-devel- equality in the 2030 Agenda for data to assess the status of the female In Kazakhstan, female representa- oped countries in the world; in fact, Sustainable Development.” The population across all 17 SDGs, pri- tion in Parliament is approximately it may even be a game changer for report, based on the 17 Sustainable oritising gender-responsive invest- 23 percent. Kazakhstan, to propel it into the fu- Development Goals (SDGs), was ments and policies aligned with the Gender inequality is also pre- ture – now,” said UN Women Rep- approved by UN member states in 2030 agenda and ensuring a com- sent in other SDGs, such as decent resentative in Kazakhstan Elaine 2015. Half of the SDG targets are prehensive approach with gender as work and economic growth, quality Conkievich in a UN Women Ka- in congruence with Kazakhstan’s a focus. education, income inequalities and zakhstan press release. national objectives specified in the The issue of gender equality is peace, justice and strong institutions. Digitisation programme expected to produce five-fold return on investment, says official optic communication lines in rural The 4G technology covers all areas government website with a one-time By Zhanna Shayakhmetova areas. It will cover 1,249 villages with a population of 50,000 people password instead of an electronic by 2020 and the effort is considered and regional centres. In this regard, signature. The services to obtain a ASTANA – Implementation of one of the ministry’s most important the telecommunications committee birth certificate, benefits and kinder- the Digital Kazakhstan programme projects. in collaboration with the local bodies garten procedures will be provided is entering its active phase, said Ka- “Firstly, it will create a basis for will monitor the broadband quality in without an application. zakh Minister of Information and digitisation in agriculture. Secondly, these areas,” he said. Third parties, such as state bod- Communications Dauren Abayev there will no longer be a need for Approximately 200 start-up com- ies, can receive certificates if they at a Feb.16 extended board meeting people to go to regional centres to panies will be launched with the sup- receive confirmation from a citizen. of the ministry. The impact of the obtain services and purchase tickets. port of technoparks, incubators and The digital public service centre digital economy sector will create Thirdly, this allows reducing the gap accelerators, including 33 start-ups (PSCs or TsONs) for services with- additional value of approximately 2 between rural and urban schools in as part of the Astana Hub project. out the participation of operators was trillion tenge (US$6.2 billion), ensur- terms of access to knowledge, library The first incubation programme also recently launched in the capital. Kazakhstan calls for ing fivefold return on investment by and online lectures. The regional with 14 projects has already been The digital by default principle will 2025. state bodies will join the online docu- launched Feb. 7. provide the planning and subsequent “The President has set tasks for mentation system,” said the minister. The service provision system was provision of services in electronic- the digitisation of all sectors, includ- The country ranks 36th, rising five deemed successful at the end of the only form.