The objective of the article is to examine patterns of similarities and differences across educational reforms in the Czech Republic and Kazakhstan in post-socialist context. The study conducted a comparative-historical analysis of the development of education systems in Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic in the 1990s when there was a transition of these countries from the socialist to the capitalist regime. The comparative historical analysis of the educational reforms of these two countries identified a number of similar patterns and considerable differences in the development of their education systems due to many contextual and structural factors and historical prerequisites. The comparative analysis demonstrated that both in the educational systems of the Czech Republic and Kazakhstan democratization, humanization and differentiation were taken as main principles of the reforms, but these processes developed in different levels and directions. As a result, it was stated that both the Czech Republic and Kazakhstan intended to democratize educational systems in the post-socialist context. While the Czech Republic tended to decentralize and diversify the school system, delegating the practical implementation of educational policies to various organizations and lobbying groups, however, Kazakhstan maintains a highly centralized system from top to bottom, which leaves little administrative, financial, managerial, executive authority for the low structures of the state apparatus and the public, which limits the system to strict planning and standards.

On the basis of personal estate of editor Věnceslav Švihovský, the author describes his life and work in the years 1875-1957, especially in the formation of national consciousness of Russian Czechs.

The implementation of the “socialist cultural revolution” was part of the Bolshevik monopoly of power. This “revolution” was intended to elevate the overall cultural standard of the population, particularly in the countryside. The Bolshevik regime established a Czechoslovak section at the Governorate Department of People’s Education in Žytomyr to manage cultural work among the Volhynia Czechs, which established a reading room where the Bolshevik press and Marxist literature could be studied, as well as singing, drama, natural science and atheistic groups. The Czechs endeavoured to revive their cultural activities that had been interrupted by the events of war at their settlements. The best results were achieved by amateur dramatics.

This article considers the views of supporters and opponents of the introduction of a unified secondary school system in the first half of the 20 th century.