Kazakhstan Launches Education Overhaul Focused on AI and Digital Skills

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has declared 2026 the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, setting a strategic goal to transform Kazakhstan's education system into an innovative and flexible model. This initiative aims to cultivate a generation equipped to thrive in the global digital economy.

The modernization effort seeks to make schools hubs for developing critical thinking, project-based learning, and information management skills. To this end, curricula for "Digital Literacy" and "Computer Science" for grades 1-9 have been revised to establish foundational digital competencies.

National infrastructure is being strengthened through the "QazTech" education database and a unified educational platform. These tools are designed to support personalized learning pathways for students and streamline daily tasks for teachers.

A key project, "Qazaq Digital Mektebi," is working to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural schools. The system is already integrating domestic AI tools like Roqed AI, Kashgari, Stem-solutions, and testter.kz. Pilot programs in several Astana schools (No. 99, 101, 104, 107) have demonstrated that AI can increase grading efficiency and significantly reduce teacher workload.

Upskilling educators is a top priority. In 2025, over 240,000 teachers completed specialized courses on the "Өрleu" platform. In 2026, the "ChatGPT Edu" project will train an additional 200,000 professionals to create their own AI assistants. These professional development programs span all educational levels.

International collaboration is also part of the strategy. A joint project with MIT, "Day of AI Qazaqstan," focuses on boosting AI literacy among schoolchildren and integrating AI elements into various subjects. Plans are also underway to develop special courses for parents to actively involve them in the digital education process.