Factors influencing the legal regulation and management of education system in Kazakhstan: a review and analysis

Abstract

Nowadays, the modernization of the education system is the basis of dynamic sustainable economic development and citizens’ well-being. The key agent for the implementation of educational policy and the developer of the legal framework governing the functioning of the educational sphere is the state and its bodies. The Kazakhstani state policy’s main priorities in the field of education are formulated in several strategic documents. Using the review approach, this article examines the current state of public policy and legal regulation in Kazakhstan’s education sector. The article analyzes key documents that define the contours and content of the main directions of public policy and legal regulation. This article attempts to identify, review, and analyze the legal characteristics of the key process and factors existing in the legal field of Kazakhstani education, such as “Bologna factor,” “soviet legacy,” “provision of quality,” etc. The article concludes that the existing legal tools do not fully comply with law enforcement practice. The interpretations of some legal acts are somewhat different, which causes difficulties for actors providing educational services. Based on the result of the analysis, the article provides the main recommendations for improving legislation in education. Acknowledgment This article was written under grant from Kazakhstan Ministry of Education and Science No. АР05135081 “Student with disabilities and distance education learning environment: socio-practical and legal dimensions” coordinated by Prof. Dr Zulfiya Movkebayeva (Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University).

Pedagogical Research in Kazakhstan: Analysis of Scientific Publications in Scopus

“…in addition, the study by Jumakulov and Ashirbekov (2016) provides important information on the international integration of higher education in Kazakhstan, highlighting the growing attention to integrating international perspectives into teacher education to improve the quality and relevance of educational practices. Movkebayeva et al (2020) highlight the factors influencing the legal regulation and management of the educational system in Kazakhstan, highlighting the difficulties associated with the modernization and legislation of higher education in the country, which emphasizes the importance of analyzing and overcoming these challenges for the effective implementation of modern trends in education.…”

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“…The current literature lacks the research particularly on specialists' availability, their causes of changing workplace. Movkebayeva (2014), Makoelle (2020), Rollan (2021) generally mention the scarcity of teaching staff and their professional development as being one of the significant barriers for effective implementation of inclusive education. Therefore, the given research aims to reveal the reasons behind support specialists' scarcity and turnover in general schools, the results of which can have practical implications for administrators to consider the necessary policies.…”

The Research Environment in a Developing Economy: Reforms, Patterns, and Challenges in Kazakhstan

“…However, the reforms during the 2000s, mainly targeted at joining the Bologna declaration, were instrumental in reshaping and improving science in the country [6]. The new three-level educational system (bachelor, masters, and Ph.D.), the autonomy of a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in developing programs and curricula, and student/faculty mobility programs implemented during the decade led to the successful joining of the Bologna declaration in 2010 [7][8][9]. The declaration relates to a member country's integration process into the European quality assurance framework in education through improving mobility, lifelong learning, and the credit system.…”

“…Along with the positive changes, the country experienced critical challenges in developing its research environment. Examples included a low level of financing and commercialization of science, a continuing English language barrier, and insufficient modernization of the research infrastructure [2,8,9]. As a result, this led to a low quality of research in some areas, difficulties in attracting and retaining qualified research staff, poor cooperation with the international research community, and publications in predatory journals.…”