World history is full of examples that illustrate the role of education in the transformation of the social system and its further development.
It is enough just to recall the phenomenon of «Japanese miracle», which is based on the modernization of the old, established for centuries, the Japanese educational model. Transition to European standards in this area has led to qualitative changes that have affected all areas of Japanese society.
To decide a serious step was not easy, especially for patriarchal, known for its traditional nature country. Years later, it became clear how prescient and vital was the decision. No accident today «Land of the Rising Sun» is considered one of the leaders of world development.
Thus, it is obvious that at the present stage of social development quality educational services largely determines the vectors of socio-economic and political development of countries.
21st century brings a new requirement for the participants of the international community-competitive education system. In an effort to find its niche in the system dynamically developing international relations, Kazakhstan attaches great importance to the development of the educational sphere.
In order to find its niche in the system of dynamically developing international relations, Kazakhstan focuses on great importance to the development of the educational sphere.
By the initiative of Nursultan Nazarbayev, since 2005, the country’s State has been started the program of development of education. Main provisions of the approved strategy affect all stages of Kazakhstan education. Development of the program was due to macroeconomic stabilization and stable political situation in the country, allowing the Kazakh authorities to come to grips with issues of social spheres, including education. It is now obvious results of the program. However, given the new realities of the modern world, including those caused by the global financial crisis, it becomes apparent that the education system in the country requires timely course corrections development.
New priorities of the development of education in our country are reflected in the annual message of the President to the people, «New Decade — New Economic Growth — New Opportunities of Kazakhstan».
Head of State updated the number of critical issues facing the Kazakhstan’s education system in the light of a new stage of modernization of the country:
1. Development of preschool education. Development of overall education system and its transition to a higher quality level required to solve the problem of preschool education. The demand for development of network of preschool institutions has been increased. However, the ability to meet this demand, despite significant advances in this area in recent years, is extremely low. It is largely due to the effects of the crisis tendencies 90s in Kazakhstan. If in past years, one quarter of the district had about 3–4 kindergartens, in our days, at best, one, two — and in rural areas and less. In addition, positive shifts in demographics also actualize the problem of shortage of kindergartens. This is why there is a queue for places in preschool.
Implementation of the program «Balapan», emphasized not only to support public preschools, but also on the development of private family kindergartens and mini-centers, according to the president, will solve a current problem in 2020 and lay the foundation for further development of higher levels of educational Kazakhstan system.
2. Improving the quality of higher education. The President has repeatedly pointed out that the higher education system should prepare specialists of this level, which will be in demand not only in Kazakhstan but also in the world community. To date, it is evident that higher education in our country once again has become a prestigious, but its quality is not always consistent with international educational standards. To solve such an important task universities need to be more actively introduce advanced educational and information technology in the preparation of highly qualified specialists, actively cooperate with the international university community borrowing gained them an educational experience. Implementation of such tasks will allow universities to enter our country on the international education market services and take a worthy place in it, to gain a foothold in the ranking of world universities.
3. Operation of 12-year-old educational model. Today can be stated that the introduction in Kazakhstan «12-year-old» is underway. However, this process does not develop over the place and has a number of difficulties, especially organizational and methodical.
It is well known that education is one of the most important social institutions of society working on the basis of the principle of the system, which involves the interaction of all the major elements, namely pre-school, primary, secondary, middle — and higher education. Parallel operation of the 11-year and 12-year-old model school violates the principle of consistency and creates additional difficulties to all participants of the educational process.
Transition of education system to European standards, requires the development of a 12-year education model and a gradual shift away from the old Soviet model of education. The final transition to a new model of school education, according to the president, will be implemented by 2020. That lets the entire national education system as an integral mechanism in accordance with international educational standards.
4. Development of professional and technical education. Kazakhstan’s entry into a new stage of modernization, which involves forced industrialization, will require a sufficient number of technical specialists. However, now there is a shortage of specialists in this group, and in the future demand for skilled technical workers will only grow. Consequently, before the education system of Kazakhstan stands with one of the primary tasks of providing a new stage of industrial development of the country’s qualified staff. This is possible only if the functioning of an extensive network of vocational training institutions in which the educational process will be carried out in accordance with the needs and demands of the economy. Only such a system of vocational and technical education, according to the president, will allow personnel standpoint to implement all industrial projects.
So, in his annual address to the nation of Kazakhstan’s head of state outlined the serious gaps in the national education system, whose solution in the near future will allow preparing qualified personnel for the needs of not only the country but also the world economy.
B. Kaliyev, S. Mogunov
(NKSU named after M. Kozybayev)
