Guljira Yerkebayeva: The Resource School is a platform for bold decisions.
# Article
30 September, 2025
The "Qazaqstan halkyna" Public Foundation, established on the initiative of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in 2022, held the 4th National Philanthropy Conference on September 25, 2025, themed "Systemic Philanthropy: Sustainability, Partnership, Heritage." The final session took place at the Palace of Arts in Kyzylorda, with the support of the Akimat of the Kyzylorda Region.
One of the conference speakers was Guljira Yerkebayeva, Director of the Resource School in the Karmakshy District of the Kyzylorda Region. Below is the full presentation by the speaker.
It All Started with One Piece of News
Kyzylorda is the birthplace of prominent figures who have contributed immensely to science and education, such as the educator Temirbek Jurgenov, academician Shakhmardan Yessenov, and mathematician Askar Jumadildayev. Today, I would like to share with you the journey and transformation of our school within the framework of the project "Enhancing the Potential of Resource Schools in Rural Areas." It all started with one piece of news.
One day, the staff received news: "Robotics equipment is coming to the school." Silence fell. Then the questions began: "Will we be building robots in the village?" "Are we ready for this?" There were doubts. But from the moment the children entered their very first lesson, everything changed.
That day, we brought in not just technology, but trust. For the first time, children saw that they could build a device with their own hands that moves, speaks, and acts. For the first time, teachers felt that urban opportunities had reached the village as well.
Since the autumn of 2023, the life of our school has changed completely. Within the 250 million tenge budget, 33 classrooms and learning spaces underwent a complete renovation. This is not just new furniture and equipment. First and foremost, we focused on scientific subjects—directions such as physics, chemistry, and biology. The laboratory equipment reached a true laboratory level.
In addition, STEM, ART studio, television studio, and robotics rooms were opened in the school, providing opportunities to develop children's creative and scientific potential. This was not just a renovation of classrooms—it became an open door to making dreams come true. It brought modern education to the younger generation, a new impetus to teachers, and confidence and hope to parents.
However, the true value of any modern space is measured by the people within it—namely, the teacher. Therefore, the most important and decisive part of the project was training and professional development. Our teachers not only mastered new equipment, but also re-examined their methodology, outlook, and even their philosophy of teaching.
Over the past two years, 147 educators have participated in training seminars. Our teachers took part in 7 internship lectures and 3 practical seminars conducted by the Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools. We ourselves hosted 4 regional seminars. All of this fostered a culture of community and experience sharing.
These changes had a positive impact on student achievement. If in the 2022–2023 academic year our school had only 2 "Altyn Belgi" (Golden Badge) recipients, in subsequent years this figure grew steadily every year. As a result, in the 2024–2025 academic year, 10 of our students became "Altyn Belgi" recipients. 15 of our students became winners of national subject Olympiads and scientific projects, and participation of teachers in professional competitions increased by 6.3%, expanding the number of specialists ready to demonstrate their experience.
Now, as a resource school, we work closely with satellite schools and have established clear ways to disseminate experience.
There are individual work plans designed for each school, teachers attend classes together, we hold session-format seminars, and sometimes we visit satellite schools ourselves to organize joint projects.
In other words, we are now a center contributing to the quality of education not only in our own school, but in the surrounding villages as well.
Whereas we used to learn from the outside, we have now become a school that teaches others.
An Important Step Beyond the School
Allow me to tell you about our special pride—a project that became a step beyond the school for us. On January 5, 2025, we launched the "School of Entrepreneurship" educational and production center. Modern equipment, workshops, a new learning environment—all of this inspired us to aim higher. We wanted the school to provide not just knowledge, but a profession. And we took action. Courses include "Seamstress," "Cook," "Woodworking," and "Computer Graphics and Web Design." This is not just career guidance. This is a chance to envision oneself in the future. Classes are conducted not only by teachers, but also by invited masters, entrepreneurs, and even... parents!
Yes, parents indeed. We are used to thinking that it is difficult to involve parents in school life today. But here they come, sew, cook, and work with wood alongside the children! One of them—an entrepreneur himself—donated a woodworking machine to the school. This is not just a center. This is a platform for life, where the school, parents, and entrepreneurs are all united together! And today I especially want to address my colleagues from other resource schools who are present in this hall. I am certain that you too have all the opportunities—a modern base, a strong team, energy—to go further. Do not be afraid to experiment. Look for your own direction. Create. Because a resource school is not only about the classical model; it is a platform for bold decisions.
We did not stop and think we had "achieved it all." On the contrary, after this, we set clear and lofty goals for ourselves. The next goal is to increase the number of professionally skilled teachers over the next three years, raise the quality of education by another 7–8%, and increase participation in international competitions. In addition, we are developing the "Positive Pedagogy" approach. Project-based methods, coaching, and unlocking individual student abilities have now become a part of our daily work.
A teacher once brought a candle to the classroom and said:
– Children, this single candle illuminates only this one corner. But if each of us lights a candle, the whole room will glow.
Education is just like that candle. If not just one school, but hundreds of schools are renewed together, the future of the entire country will be bright.
We believe that we are the rural school that lit that light.
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