Reviews of National Policies for Education Reviews of Secondary Education in Kazakhstan This is the first OECD review of policies for secondary education in Kazakhstan. N Reviews of National Policies for Education This report evaluates the education reform agenda of Kazakhstan – its feasibility and ational Policies for Education focus – by taking stock of present-day strengths and weaknesses. It provides guidance on adjusting reform implementation plans in line with international experiences and best Secondary Education practices. This review also consolidates much of the previously dispersed (national) data on primary and secondary schools in Kazakhstan into a common analytical base of evidence. in Kazakhstan Contents Executive summary Chapter 1. Overview of the education system of Kazakhstan Chapter 2. Equity and effectiveness of schooling in Kazakhstan Chapter 3. Assessment of learning outcomes and teaching quality in Kazakhstan Chapter 4. Good policies for better teachers and school leadership in Kazakhstan Chapter 5. Education expenditure and financing mechanisms in Kazakhstan Chapter 6. Vocational education and training in Kazakhstan Chapter 7. Recommendations of the OECD review of secondary education in Kazakhstan S econdary Education in Kazakhstan Consult this publication on line at http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264205208-en. This work is published on the OECD iLibrary, which gathers all OECD books, periodicals and statistical databases. Visit www.oecd-ilibrary.org for more information. ISBN 978-92-64-20521-5 91 2013 06 1 P 9HSTCQE*cafcbf+ Reviews of National Policies for Education Secondary Education in Kazakhstan This work is published on the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Organisation or of the governments of its member countries. This document and any map included herein are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area. Please cite this publication as: OECD (2014), Reviews of National Policies for Education: Secondary Education in Kazakhstan, OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264205208-en ISBN 978-92-64-20521-5 (print) ISBN 978-92-64-20520-8 (PDF) Series: Reviews of National Policies for Education ISSN 1563-4914 (print) ISSN 1990-0198 (online) The statistical data for Israel are supplied by and under the responsibility of the relevant Israeli authorities. The use of such data by the OECD is without prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank under the terms of international law. Photo credits: Cover © Anton Andronov/Fotolia.com. Corrigenda to OECD publications may be found on line at: www.oecd.org/publishing/corrigenda. © OECD 2014 You can copy, download or print OECD content for your own use, and you can include excerpts from OECD publications, databases and multimedia products in your own documents, presentations, blogs, websites and teaching materials, provided that suitable acknowledgment of the source and copyright owner is given. All requests for public or commercial use and translation rights should be submitted to [email protected]. Requests for permission to photocopy portions of this material for public or commercial use shall be addressed directly to the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) at [email protected] or the Centre français d'exploitation du droit de copie (CFC) at [email protected]. FOREWORD – 3 Foreword This first OECD review of policies for secondary education in the Republic of Kazakhstan was requested by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan as part of the process of deepening co-operation with the OECD in key areas of development, such as education. The purpose of the review is to evaluate the education reform agenda – its feasibility and focus – by taking stock of present-day strengths and weaknesses of the secondary education system of Kazakhstan. The review also seeks to provide, where needed and possible, guidance on adjusting the reform implementation plans in line with international experiences and best practices regarding educational change. An added value of this activity for both the authorities of Kazakhstan and the OECD is that during the preparation of this report, much of the previously dispersed (national) data on secondary schools in Kazakhstan has been consolidated into a common base of evidence, validated by the education authorities. Strengthening the reliability of evidence is a long process and this work can only be the first step. Nevertheless, it is already benefiting a number of follow-up activities with the Republic of Kazakhstan, such as the OECD Review of Policies to Improve the Effectiveness of Resource Use in Schools (carried out in co-operation with the World Bank), the OECD Review of Policies for Vocational Education and Training (Skills Beyond School), and the OECD Country Review of Early Childhood Education and Care. Chapter 1 of this report provides an overview of the country, its education system and reform plans. Subsequent chapters provide analysis of and recommendations on equity and effectiveness of schooling; assessment and evaluation practices; policies for teachers and principals; expenditure patterns and financing mechanisms; vocational education and training; and a summary of the recommendations. The report was prepared in the Directorate for Education and Skills by Mihaylo Milovanovitch (rapporteur and review team leader), José-Luis Alvarez-Galván (OECD Secretariat), Julie Bélanger (OECD Secretariat), Simone Bloem (OECD Secretariat), and Caroline Macready (independent education expert). Cassandra Davis, Célia Braga-Schich and Anne-Lise Prigent from the OECD Secretariat, and Ian Whitman (United States) REVIEWS OF NATIONAL POLICIES FOR EDUCATION: SECONDARY EDUCATION IN KAZAKHSTAN © OECD 2014 4 – FOREWORD provided editorial guidance and support for the production of this publication. The layout was prepared by Peter Vogelpoel. Brigitte Beyeler, Claire Chetcuti and Deborah Fernandez provided overall administrative support. Barbara Ischinger Director for Education and Skills OECD REVIEWS OF NATIONAL POLICIES FOR EDUCATION: SECONDARY EDUCATION IN KAZAKHSTAN © OECD 2014 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS – 5 Acknowledgements The OECD review team wishes to thank the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr Aslan Sarinzhipov and the staff of the Ministry, as well as the JSC “Information-Analytic Centre” (IAC) for their excellent co-operation during the review process. This report would not have been possible without the commitment and support of Professor Sholpan Kalanova, President of IAC at the time of carrying out the OECD review, Assem Satmukhambetova, head of the Secondary Education Department in IAC, Meruyert Kenzhetayeva, national co-ordinator for the background report and the site visits, as well as Saltanat Yunussova, Irina Burlak and Assylkhan Suyundikov from IAC. The OECD team also wishes to thank the analytical staff of IAC involved in the verification of data and information used in the report for their invaluable work. The report has also greatly benefited from the critical comments and suggestions of peer reviewers in the OECD Secretariat: Michael Davidson, Head of the Early Childhood and Schools Division (ECS) in the OECD Directorate for Education and Skills (EDU); Etienne Albiser, Analyst (EDU/ Policy Advice and Implementation Division-PAI); Hannah von Ahlefeld, Analyst (EDU/ECS); Alastair Blyth, independent consultant for the OECD Centre for Effective Learning Environments (CELE); Paulo Santiago, Senior Analyst (EDU/ECS); and Sophie Vayssettes, Analyst (EDU/ECS). Finally, the OECD review team wishes to thank all education professionals and stakeholders in Kazakhstan who gave their time to meet and talk to the review team during the site visits. REVIEWS OF NATIONAL POLICIES FOR EDUCATION: SECONDARY EDUCATION IN KAZAKHSTAN © OECD 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS – 7 Table of contents Acronyms �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 15 Executive summary �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 17 Chapter 1. Overview of the education system of Kazakhstan ����������������������������� 23 The education reform agenda in pre-university education ����������������������������������� 36 The OECD review: sources and the review process ����������������������������������������������41 Annex 1.A1. A note on the review process . 43 Annex 1.A2. Request for meetings submitted prior to the site-visits . 45 Annex 1.A3. Review framework ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 48 Chapter 2. Equity and effectiveness of schooling in Kazakhstan ����������������������� 63 Access to education ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 64 Equality of educational opportunity ��������������������������������������������������������������������� 66 Annex 2.A. The hierarchy of thinking skills ��������������������������������������������������������111 Chapter 3. Assessment of learning outcomes and teaching quality in Kazakhstan ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������115 The aims and purposes of assessment ������������������������������������������������������������������116