51 Rural Schools Join the Network of Reference Schools
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07 August, 2025
For the first time, rural schools will receive modern STEM and art classrooms, television studios, and science laboratories, while teachers will undergo professional development programs.
The Sustainable Education Development Fundation, Aitas Holding, the Qazaqstan halkyna Fund, and Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, with the support of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, have launched the final stage of the large-scale project Enhancing the Potential of Rural Reference Schools.
In 2025, 51 schools from all regions of the country will join the project. This will bring the total number of participating schools to 192, covering every district center and single-industry town in Kazakhstan. The goal is to close the education quality gap between urban and rural schools, ensuring equal conditions and opportunities for all children.
The strategy to create a national network of reference schools was launched in 2019 as part of the social mission of Aitas Holding. In 2022, with the support of the Qazaqstan Khalkyna Fund, the project was scaled nationwide, reaching rural schools across the country. Throughout this time, Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools have served as the project’s main academic partner.
Each reference school will be equipped with modern teaching tools, STEM and robotics labs, art and television studios. Teachers will exchange experience with the country’s best educators.
The project is funded entirely through private and charitable contributions. The Qazaqstan Khalkyna Fund allocates 250 million tenge to each school — a total of 12.8 billion tenge. Aitas Holding covers the operational expenses of the Sustainable Education Development Fund, while Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools finance teacher training.
The development of the reference school network will ensure the steady improvement of education quality in rural areas and provide equal learning opportunities for all children.
From 2022 to 2024, 141 rural schools have gained reference school status under the national network strategy. With the 51 new schools in 2025, the total will reach 192. More than 1,900 classrooms will be newly equipped, benefiting nearly 190,000 students who will study in modern conditions.
Reference schools have already shown remarkable results in a short time — with an increasing number of winners in the Unified National Test, academic Olympiads, and international competitions.
In December 2024, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited a reference school in Khromtau and praised the school and its teachers. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov instructed regional administrations and the Ministry of Education to create at least 200 reference schools nationwide by the end of 2025 and to develop the potential of small rural schools.
The Sustainable Education Development Fundation, Aitas Holding, the Qazaqstan halkyna Fund, and Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, with the support of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, have launched the final stage of the large-scale project Enhancing the Potential of Rural Reference Schools.
In 2025, 51 schools from all regions of the country will join the project. This will bring the total number of participating schools to 192, covering every district center and single-industry town in Kazakhstan. The goal is to close the education quality gap between urban and rural schools, ensuring equal conditions and opportunities for all children.
The strategy to create a national network of reference schools was launched in 2019 as part of the social mission of Aitas Holding. In 2022, with the support of the Qazaqstan Khalkyna Fund, the project was scaled nationwide, reaching rural schools across the country. Throughout this time, Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools have served as the project’s main academic partner.
Each reference school will be equipped with modern teaching tools, STEM and robotics labs, art and television studios. Teachers will exchange experience with the country’s best educators.
The project is funded entirely through private and charitable contributions. The Qazaqstan Khalkyna Fund allocates 250 million tenge to each school — a total of 12.8 billion tenge. Aitas Holding covers the operational expenses of the Sustainable Education Development Fund, while Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools finance teacher training.
The development of the reference school network will ensure the steady improvement of education quality in rural areas and provide equal learning opportunities for all children.
From 2022 to 2024, 141 rural schools have gained reference school status under the national network strategy. With the 51 new schools in 2025, the total will reach 192. More than 1,900 classrooms will be newly equipped, benefiting nearly 190,000 students who will study in modern conditions.
Reference schools have already shown remarkable results in a short time — with an increasing number of winners in the Unified National Test, academic Olympiads, and international competitions.
In December 2024, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited a reference school in Khromtau and praised the school and its teachers. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov instructed regional administrations and the Ministry of Education to create at least 200 reference schools nationwide by the end of 2025 and to develop the potential of small rural schools.
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