About us

Uniting civil society, government, and business to advance the quality of education nationwide

Advancing the educational vision of Aitas Foundation

Working towards a thriving nation and a happy, prosperous future for generations to come

Trust and Drive

Responsibility and Freedom

Curiosity and Courage

Love

Wisdom

Strength of Will

The Foundation for Sustainable Education Development is a team of like-minded individuals united by a belief in the transformative power of education. We have taken responsibility for the future of our country and are committed to shaping it through meaningful action.
Our journey is driven by the courage to dream big and act boldly, embracing challenges and learning from mistakes along the way. We find purpose and inspiration in creating a world where every child has a strong foundation of values and the confidence to define their own path in life. for the future of our country and are committed to shaping it through meaningful action.

In a world where the future is becoming increasingly unpredictable, inner values and clarity of thought remain the only truly sustainable foundation. for the future of our country and are committed to shaping it through meaningful action.

We believe that education is, above all, a space for personal growth and the development of character. for the future of our country and are committed to shaping it through meaningful action.
We aspire to create a brighter future for every child. To make this possible, we serve with purpose and commitment here and now.

The foundation's history began in 2019 when businessman Serik Tolukpaev initiated the creation of the Sustainable Rural Development Fund. He brought together dedicated citizens of the country with the goal of improving life in rural areas. The first region to benefit from these efforts was the Katon-Karagay district, the entrepreneur's home region.

In 2019, the Fund for Sustainable Rural Development and Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools launched the project "Rural School Powered by NIS". The project is aimed at reducing the gap in the quality of education between rural and urban schools. "High-quality education should be available to everyone, regardless of their place of residence," the project partners said.

In 2022, the founders of the Sustainable Rural Development Fund transferred educational projects to a separate fund and created the Fund for Sustainable Development of Education.

On July 14, 2022, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Qazaqstan Halqyna Fund, the Fund for Sustainable Education Development and Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools JSC, under which a grant of 4.25 billion tenge was allocated for the charity project "Development of the Potential of Hub Schools in Rural Areas".

In 2023, the second stage of the project to develop the capacity of support schools in rural areas was launched. The second stage included 62 schools in districts and single-industry towns of Kazakhstan.

In 2024, 56 more schools in the country joined the project to develop the country's flagship schools.

In December 2024, the President of the country, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, visited an anchor school in the city of Khromtau. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was introduced to the specifics of the educational process and the laboratory work conducted by students.

The “Hub-and-Magnet Schools” learning model has been recognized as one of the world’s leading educational innovations and included in the HundrED Global Collection.

HundrED is a renowned international organization based in Finland that annually identifies and showcases 100 of the most impactful and promising educational innovations from around the world.

By the end of 2025, the Foundation’s initiatives were benefiting more than 222,000 students and 23,000 educators in 416 rural secondary schools across the country.

In March 2026, Uryl Secondary School in the Katon-Karagay District of East Kazakhstan Region became the first school in Central Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to be recognized as a Google Reference School.

Vision

A sustainable and prosperous country

Mission

To be a driving force for change, shaping a generation equipped to succeed in the age of intellectual capitalism

Strategy

Influence on the value core in the portrait of future generations through collaborations in the education system