Report Summary: Education of Kazakh Children Education of Kazakh children: A situation analysis Save the Children UK, 2006

This report suggests that in many important ways Kazakh children are not being afforded the same opportunities to learn as other children in Mongolia. In addition to the barriers shared to some extent by children in other poor and rural areas, the language of teaching and learning for Kazakh children is compounding their disadvantage. The particularly low preschool participation rates in Bayan-Olgii aimag and the lack of either Kazakh language preschool materials or Mongolian as a second language instructional strategies mean Kazakh children start school lagging behind in language and literacy skills and may not gain a sound footing in either Mongolian or Kazakh.

Kazakh children and learning The study methodology

Kazakhs comprise the largest minority group This study was mainly qualitative recognising and one with the greatest cultural and linguistic limited available demographic and educational distinction from the Mongolian majority. data disaggregated by ethnic group in Mongolia. Research focused on field sites of Bayan-Olgii Many barriers to access and learning are not aimag, Hovd soum in Hovd aimag and Nalaih unique to Kazakh children but are common district of Ulaanbaatar where Kazakhs are the for all Mongolian children. These barriers majority or are part of a mixed community. result from systemic weaknesses in education Further data was gathered through document delivery caused by the poor condition or lack review, semi-structured interviews and of facilities, lack of clear and rights focused meetings with children and parents, officials legislative and policy basis, lack of learning of Government ministries and other relevant materials, poor quality teaching and learning national and international organisations, environments, the high formal and informal agencies and donors. costs associated with schooling, poverty and low standard of living of families. A widening The research had the objective of producing disparity between rural and urban education is an in depth analysis of the education situation also evident. These barriers are compounded of Kazakh children including investigating the for ethnic minority Kazakh children who are causes of the high drop out rates in the Bayan highly represented in the out of school groups Olgii aimag, identifying the factors adversely and who additionally face the significant affecting the education of Kazakh children and challenge of language. recommending actions.

Recognising this issue, with the financial support of the Canada Fund, Save the Children UK, Mongolia commissioned this education situation  An aimag is a province in Mongolia, the main analysis of Kazakh children to guide and inform town of each is the aimag centre, districts within that are strategy in supporting Kazakh children’s rights called soum, and smaller administrative units are called to education and development. bagh. Cities are divided administratively into units called khoroo.

 Report Summary: Education of Kazakh Children General picture of situation for have even higher illiteracy rates of 8.4 and 9.8%, Kazakhs in Mongolia respectively. Another feature of note is that A picture of the population while enrolment and literacy rates in Mongolia tend to favour females, Kazakh females are less literate than their male counterparts. (2000 Kazakhs are the largest ethnic group in Census) Mongolia and make up 4.4% of the population as a whole and account for 5% of all children Higher dropouts aged 0-14. In addition to lower literacy rates, the overall school dropout rate in Bayan-Olgii is 6.2% Bayan-Olgii aimag has a poverty rate of 46% compared to 1.9% nationally. While Kazakhs compared to 36% nationally, with over half account for about 5% of the child population of the poor being classified as extremely poor. in Mongolia and 4% of the total student (Census 2000) population at the beginning of 2003-2004 school year, Bayan-Olgii’s share of dropouts Kazakhs mainly live in the far West. Bayan- reported for the same year is 13-16% according Olgii at a population of 99,112, is almost to different sources. entirely Kazakh. Kazakhs also comprise over 10% of the population in neighbouring Hovd, Greater delayed entry living primarily in the aimag centre, Hovd Delayed entry to school, a factor in higher soum where they are a dominant majority, dropouts and lower achievement, is also in Buyant soum where they comprise about highest in the Western and Khangai regions, one-third of the population, and as a smaller with over 16% of new intakes age 9 or over in minority in other soums. In the peri-urban area 2000. The transition to an 11-year system in around Ulaanbaatar, the Kazakh community 2005-2006 included the change to age seven as is concentrated in Nalaikh District, in khoroo the official age to start school. In 2004-2005 #4 which is 90% Kazakh. It is a mining in Hovd aimag, 45% of children starting grade community from the 1930s and 40s which one were age 7 or younger. Yet in Bayan-Olgii originally attracted migrants from Bayan-Olgii in 2005/2006 school year, after enactment of to work the mines. While Khoroo #4 residents the policy only about one-quarter of children make up only 19% of the population in Nalaih starting grade one were aged 7 and start as late District, they are overrepresented among the as 9 – 10 years old. district’s poor families at 37%. Lower preschool participation Context of education participation and Bayan-Olgii has one of the lowest formal performance kindergarten enrolment rates in the country, at less than 20% compared to 33% nationally. Bayan-Olgii performs poorly on basic indicators of education access and efficiency. Children Hovd aimag reported that it does not in this aimag drop out at over three times the disaggregate preschool participation data national rate—the highest dropout rate in the by ethnicity. The research found that while country—and they attend formal preschool at formal kindergarten enrolment for the aimag less than two-thirds of the national average— overall is 25%, in Hovd soum it hovers between the lowest preschool participation rate in the 9-13% depending on seasonal fluctuation due country. to the livestock cycle. Although the aimag reports that most of its kindergartens cannot Lower literacy meet the demand for preschool, Hovd soum’s While the Khalkh or Mongolian majority over Kazakh kindergarten and the kindergarten age 7 has an average illiteracy rate of 4.6%, for serving the Kazakh micro-district are both Kazakhs it is significantly higher at 6.8%. Two under enrolled. Buyant soum in Hovd likewise other ethnic groups the Darkhad and Khoton

 Report Summary: Education of Kazakh Children reported anecdotally that while the soum was schools were first established in the aimag. meeting success in its focus to boost preschool More than one central level source affirmed enrolment to increase school readiness, that Mongolian was the primary language in Kazakhs are underrepresented. schools and society until the transition period, during which the 1992 Constitution granted Policy formulation fails to target the right of minorities to be educated in their Kazakh children native languages. Education authorities in Bayan-Olgii explained that Kazakh schools have actually been in place since the 1940s, There is a lack of education policies targeted although in 1978 the central government toward Kazakh children, especially a clear issued a resolution asserting Mongolian as the policy on mother tongue and bilingual language official language. The 1992 Constitution and approach. This is primarily due to a lack of 1995 Education Law consolidated the legal consciousness at the central level about issues framework for Kazakh instruction, but did of ethnicity and the condition or needs of ethnic not change existing practice in Bayan-Olgii. minorities in general or Kazakhs in particular. However, the assistance Bayan-Olgii received The translation of textbooks under the new from Kazakhstan in the form of textbook education standards into Kazakh, which began support ended as did the local presence of last year, is the only action directly recognising central level agencies such as the Institute a special learning need. of Education, so the urgency of the need for Lack of central level agreement on the problem educational supports has increased. The lack of political tension or conflict among Stereotypes of Kazakhs help to rationalise their different ethnicities has caused a complacent isolation and condition attitude by the majority toward the rights of All ethnic groups are granted full citizenship ethnic minorities. Furthermore, a combination under the Constitution and there is no of poor understanding of local conditions, evidence of institutional discrimination against negative stereotypes of Kazakhs and a narrow any ethnic groups. However, in the course view of egalitarianism contributes to the or the research certain negative attitudes and reluctance to examine the rather complex stereotypes surfaced. Prominent among these question of whether Kazakh children’s rights is the view that Kazakh isolation in Bayan-Olgii to education and learning are being adequately and their tradition not to intermarry with other met. groups explains the faulty assumption that Poor understanding of local situation and Kazakhs have no desire to learn Mongolian or needs mix with Mongolians. In fact, in mixed Bayan- There are only a few groups in Mongolia, Olgii soums that have Mongolian classes, an such as the Kazakhs and the Tuvas, who increasing number of Kazakh families place retain and practise a distinct culture, religion their children in Mongolian classes. Another and language, and to some extent live and false assumption is that Kazakhs value education marry separately from the rest of Mongolian less than Mongolians or are unwilling to make society. Due to Bayan-Olgii’s distance and the effort to improve their situation. isolation from the centre, and to the more Narrow concept of egalitarianism limits insular nature of Kazakh culture and Kazakh development goals migration to Kazakhstan, there is an inaccurate Equity tends to be understood as impartial assumption that Bayan-Olgii does not need or treatment, or the non-discrimination against want attention and assistance from the capital and non-restriction of particular groups, and that Bayan-Olgii receives support from rather than as meeting special needs requiring Kazakhstan, so Kazakhs do not need additional targeted assistance in order to ensure equitable assistance. opportunities to learn. In one soum in Hovd There is also confusion over when Kazakh aimag, following a clear description of the

 Report Summary: Education of Kazakh Children special difficulties Kazakh students faced right to learn in their native language, there because of language barriers, the response to are several interlinked barriers to instructional the question about any special strategies to quality and learning in Kazakh schools. assist struggling second language learners was: These include inadequate learning materials “No, we treat all equally and do not distinguish in Kazakh language, lack of alignment to by ethnicity”. This approach of emphasising a standard curriculum, short supply of text equal delivery and policies treating all people books, textbooks not matching the language of and groups of children exactly the same is not instruction or the curriculum framework. in line with the rhetoric and paradigm of the new education standards which focus on a The New Education Standards 2005, have not child-centred approach, addressing individual been translated into Kazakh, although MECS learning needs, and using an open curriculum plans to gradually translate at least primary to flexibly develop learning appropriate to local level textbooks into Kazakh. However, during conditions. Maintaining a narrow definition of the field research for this study, few of the sites equity, without consideration of special learning had received the textbooks introduced this needs, will significantly limit Mongolia’s ability year even in Mongolian and none had received to fulfil the spirit and objectives of Education newly translated Kazakh textbooks. In the for All. meantime, most classrooms even in grades one and two are being taught in Kazakh but using Lack of measurement and data to monitor Mongolian textbooks, interfering with Kazakh performance and progress children’s learning of not only foundational There is a need for better disaggregated data literacy skills in one language, but also other and further study into whether Kazakhs are subject matter. disproportionately represented among the poor, herders, migrants or other disadvantaged No attention to second language acquisition groups which might call for more focused A fundamental issue that undermines quality targeting of socioeconomic development instruction and learning for Kazakh children is policies and supports by ethnicity. the lack of attention given to the teaching or learning of Mongolian as a Second Language. Language dimensions of Kazakh There are no special training courses, materials or methods to prepare teachers, and no research opportunity to learn or studies conducted in this area by linguists or literacy specialists. Pre-service preparation is Unlike many other countries where national the same for Mongolian Language teachers policy requires the national language as the whether they will teach Mongolian children language of instruction and discourages the use who already speak the language, or Kazakh of ethnic languages in schools, the Mongolian children who do not. Thus, there are no tools Constitution and Education Law assert the or special methods to build communication right to learn in native languages. Throughout skills and to build on native language literacy Bayan-Olgii aimag and in Hovd soum, children to accelerate second language learning. When do attend Kazakh schools. Yet, while teaching Kazakh students first take Mongolian as in mother tongue is important in supporting a subject, it is for only one hour a week. In cognitive access, this alone is not sufficient for Kazakh communities where there is little providing quality education. environment to use or even hear Mongolian outside of the classroom, this is inadequate to Kazakh schools language and develop proficiency to learn. learning Teacher language limitations Mismatch in language of instruction and Lack of teacher competency in the Mongolian learning materials/curriculum language impacts student learning in at least two While children are technically granted the  Ministry of Education, Culture and Science

 Report Summary: Education of Kazakh Children fundamental ways. First is the ability with which decision of when to transition from native teachers can teach effectively in Mongolian to Mongolian language instruction lies. language and foster good communication skills Especially in Bayan-Olgii where there is little and learning across all subject areas. Second is external environment to support Mongolian the ability with which teachers can develop their language use and learning, this is a critical own skills, knowledge and methods through decision. Parents and teachers in many soums available training and materials. Most teachers expressed the belief that children could benefit in Kazakh schools are Kazakhs who graduated from earlier transition into Mongolian but felt from Kazakh schools and live in communities that the policy was already set by the Ministry. where there is little use of Mongolian. While Given a choice, they stated their desire to many primary teachers are trained in Arhanghai transition at the end of primary school. This or Ulaanbaatar where training is conducted issue needs to be settled by more than ad hoc in Mongolian, others are trained in Bayan- decisions and must consider both what is best Olgii Teacher’s College, where instruction educationally as well as parental and children’s is theoretically in Mongolian, but where views. instructors support students in Kazakh. Other teachers are trained in Kazakhstan and return Mixed schools language and learning to Mongolia. There is no common graduation standard for teacher training institutions. The language challenge has different dimension Each sets its own requirements, including in schools with mixed ethnic populations. In for Mongolian language, and the quality and Bayan-Olgii, a school with both Kazakh and standards can vary widely from institution to Mongolian or other ethnic groups puts Kazakh institution. Thus Mongolian remains a second children in separate classes following the or even a foreign language to many. structure of Kazakh school instruction while

other students learn in Mongolian from grade Unclear bilingual strategy one. Segregation of Kazakh and Mongolian Under the current system, Kazakh children children until the upper secondary level raises are disadvantaged in a Mongolian learning some concerns. environment. In Bayan-Olgii, late transition into Mongolian instruction and the lack of Other inequities arise as a result of class size. adequate learning materials in Kazakh in the Because there are fewer Mongolian children, earlier grades contributes to a situation where Mongolian classes may have only 10-15 students may not be sufficiently proficient in students in each class compared to 30 or 40 either one. The lack of kindergarten materials students in the Kazakh classes. Class size can in Kazakh further undercuts the development also disadvantage Kazakhs when small class of strong early literacy and school readiness sizes cause school authorities to combine skills. Without a consistent plan for Mongolian Kazakh and Mongolian classes. In these language acquisition and for shifting instruction cases, Mongolian is used as the language of from Kazakh to Mongolian, the result is likely instruction and parents report that the sudden to be confusion. switch causes Kazakh students to fall behind and sometimes dropout. The current system is more like a sudden and late switch between two monolingual approaches, rather than a systematic one that gradually Mongolian school language and develops sufficient proficiency in a second. learning According to teachers, most Kazakh children do not become proficient in Mongolian and Lack of second language learner training and need extra instructional support in Kazakh all supports the way through graduation. In other geographic areas where Kazakhs are Unclear decision making on language learning the minority, and even in some cases where There is some confusion about where the they are the majority, Kazakh students are

 Report Summary: Education of Kazakh Children mixed in regular classrooms and Mongolian Kazakh children who do not speak Mongolian is the only language of instruction. As in who try to enrol in aimag centre schools. One Kazakh schools, Mongolian school teachers report highlighted that some teachers refused to do not have any special training in teaching accept children from the countryside, claiming Mongolian as a Second Language and thus, they did not meet arbitrary criteria on how to teachers and school officials complain about read and write. In the field research for this the additional burden of having to teach mixed study, Kazakh parents in a mixed Mongolian language classrooms. While they describe and Kazakh school in Hovd centre related how Kazakh children as hard working and good Kazakh children were denied entry to preschool with learning, primary teachers also note the because they did not speak Mongolian. pressure they face, saying that many teachers do not like to have Kazakh students because Difficulties with information and they are difficult to teach. communication Language barriers not only limit student learning In general, schools do not provide special but can also adversely affect Kazakh access classes for accelerating Mongolian language to information and communication. Most acquisition nor do they use mother tongue information, education and communications supports to facilitate learning. Buyant soum (IEC) materials are developed and distributed school in Hovd aimag noted that its language of in Mongolian and while there is a recognised instruction is Mongolian even though over half need for Kazakh language IEC materials and of its students are Kazakh and only Kazakhs trainings, there is no budget. Agencies stated living in the soum centre speak Mongolian that awareness building efforts in Bayan- before entering school. Olgii were hampered by language barriers, which caused difficulties communicating with Unequal standards and expectations parents. Kazakh parental participation is also In teaching children with special learning constrained by communications from schools needs there is a tendency to lower expectations being in Mongolian and parent meetings being or standards for learning, rather than providing conducted in Mongolian. the necessary supports to help children reach common standards. Teachers and education In the same way Kazakh communities have officials in both Hovd and Bayan-Olgii revealed failed to access information and communication ongoing local debates about whether or not in the education sector, they may also be to set lower standards for Kazakh children in missing important benefits or entitlements in Mongolian schools. Doing so would perpetuate other sectors which could benefit education the injustice of taking those who need more, participation and performance through and giving them less. improving knowledge and practices in health, nutrition, agriculture, or business Lack of mother tongue learning development. Although students have a right to learn in their native language by law, many mixed population Medium language of learning Mongolian schools do not offer Kazakh as a Kazakh schools in Bayan-Olgii: subject. In these cases, it is not entirely clear Most Kazakh schools in Bayan-Olgii aimag who has made the decision of whether or not to follow the same approach and structure. offer any native language learning. The language of instruction for all subjects in grade one is Kazakh. Students begin In some cases, it did not appear that Mongolian Language as a subject in grade parents’ wishes were consulted or taken into two (grade three prior to 11 year school consideration. system) and continue as a subject until grade Teacher attitude and discrimination 8 (previously grade 9). At this stage there is The research uncovered cases and anecdotal transition into Mongolian as the language of evidence of teacher discrimination against

 Report Summary: Education of Kazakh Children instruction for all subjects for grades 9 and This should be tackled through a joint approach 10. After transition into Mongolian, students of ensuring equal educational opportunity continue to take Kazakh as a subject. for Kazakh children through improving core elements of teaching and learning, and Kazakh school in Hovd Soum, Hovd Aimag: strengthening planning and implementation Hovd soum is over 95% Kazakh and has the systems of policies and programmes targeting only Kazakh school in the aimag. Here, the ethnic minorities. Awareness raising at all levels structure is slightly different than in Bayan- is essential to tackle pervading negative attitudes Olgii Aimag, with the transition to Mongolian towards Kazakh children and their families. as the primary language of instruction set for grade 5, or at the end of primary school. Remove barriers to education access, quality and relevance Mixed schools in Bayan-Olgii:

Where communities have mixed ethnic Address the language learning needs of Kazakh populations, classes are generally separated children. The first step to overcoming obstacles by ethnicity. For example, the grade one to participation and increasing learning intake in one soum school may have three opportunities and retention for Kazakh classes, with two Kazakh classes and one children is addressing the problems of language Mongolian class. The Kazakh class would and its impact on learning and perceived follow the structure described above for accessibility and relevance of education. Kazakh schools while the Mongolian class • A clear and appropriate policy and legal would learn in Mongolian. These classes are in theory mixed once students reach the framework on bilingual and second language upper secondary level where all instruction teaching is needed to clarify and protect the is in Mongolian. In theory, Kazakh families educational rights and entitlements of ethnic and children can elect to start school in a minority children. Mongolian class. • A teacher training and development framework is needed to meet the demands of Mongolian schools and mixed schools in a good bilingual teaching system as well as Hovd aimag and Nailakh: an effective Mongolian as a second language Mongolian schools, including one school in programme and transitional language Bayan-Olgii centre, conduct all classes and strategy for Kazakh children attending instruction in Mongolian. Outside Bayan- Mongolian schools. Olgii aimag, schools with mixed student • Further study and piloting are necessary to populations are also considered Mongolian evaluate a range of mother tongue instruction, schools and conduct all instruction in bilingual instruction and transitional models Mongolian. In most cases, few of the to identify most appropriate solutions for teachers are Kazakh or can speak Kazakh different Kazakh contexts across Mongolia and there are few supports in place to • It is necessary to develop teachers’ accelerate learning Mongolian. Also of note effectiveness in addressing Kazakh learning is that in these schools, Kazakh language is issues, through specialised methodologies not offered as a subject. for language learning, specifically based on a sound understanding and implementation Recommendations of the new paradigm of Mongolia’s New Education Standards • It is vital to localise the content and materials A framework is needed to develop an equitable, of schooling to improve its relevance and responsive, quality educational system that serves quality and tackle the lack of materials and the needs of all of Mongolia’s children. There is a clear need to strengthen policy and practice in resources available in Kazakh language. the area of ethnic minority education. Creating an unambiguous legal base and

 Report Summary: Education of Kazakh Children enabling policy supports for effective and would bring significant improvements in innovative methods of bilingual and mother Kazakh participation in school. Early language tongue instruction will enhance the quality and literacy development is particularly and relevance of education for ethnic important for Kazakh children who have to minorities. This should specify the conditions face bilingual or immersion language learning for native language or bilingual instruction, environments. and the minimum instructional supports • Expand access to formal preschool for that are guaranteed to second language Kazakh children and develop early language learners in Mongolian schools. For effective and literacy. implementation, time, material and human • Promote innovative alternative pre school resource support must be defined. This should models. explicitly set out instructional time in the curriculum, special staffing requirements, and Improve policy and programme competency standards for teachers in bilingual teaching methods or in teaching Mongolian as planning and implementation a second language. mechanisms

Further study and piloting are necessary to Increase use of Kazakh language in order to broaden evaluate a range of mother tongue instruction, participation in Kazakh communities. Using the bilingual instruction and transitional models to local language demonstrates will for genuine identify most appropriate solutions for different community engagement and participation in Kazakh contexts across Mongolia and develop the Kazakh context. Information materials such accompanying learning materials and training as those promoting the importance of preschool programmes. participation will be understood and shared if they are produced and disseminated in Kazakh. The New Education Standards move decidedly Improve collection, monitoring and evaluation of away from a fixed content based curriculum and data disaggregated by ethnicity to support better provide flexibility for teachers to contextualise policy and programme planning. Mechanisms and modify the curriculum locally. Training need to be established through collaboration and continued local support networks on with MECS and the National Statistics Office to implementing the new standards would not ensure collection and analysis of disaggregated only improve instructional quality overall, data for monitoring education performance and but would also result in far greater curriculum other related socioeconomic indicators. relevance to Kazakh culture and life. Enhance coordination of education stakeholders Expand preschool preparation for Kazakh working with and for ethnic minority children. children. Participation in early childhood For effective planning and implementation development is acknowledged to improve of education policies for ethnic minorities school readiness, cognitive development, and a cohesive approach to working with ethnic subsequent school performance and retention. minorities is needed between GOM agencies, Increasing the low preschool participation level national and international organisations and in Bayan-Olgii and other Kazakh communities other education stakeholders.

Serious recognition and immediate attention must be given to break down the additional barriers faced by ethnic minority children of Mongolia to realise their rights to education and to meet the target of Education for All Mongolian children by 2015 under the Millennium Development Goals.

This is a summary of Education of Kazakh Children by Sandra S Huang for Save the Children UK, 2005.

SCUK reserves the right to amend data cited in this summary. The final report and briefings are available in English and Mongolian. For more details contact [email protected]. Telephone: 976-11-329371.