Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools
The Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools are a network of schools for exceptional students of age 12 to 18 throughout Kazakhstan.[1] The schools are named for Nursultan Nazarbayev, president of Kazakhstan, who has promoted the idea as a means of developing Kazakhstan's economy.[2] Each school focuses primarily on a specific set of subjects: either physical sciences and mathematics or chemical and biological sciences, as well as foreign languages.[2] Instruction is trilingual, in Kazakh, Russian and English,[1] shifting to exclusively English by the senior year.[2]
The program was set up with the assistance of faculty members from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.[3]
Schools
The existing schools and their respective specialties are located in
- Astana (physical sciences and mathematics and International Baccalaureate world school)
- Semey (physical sciences and mathematics)
- Kokshetau (physical sciences and mathematics)
- Taldykorgan (physical sciences and mathematics)
- Oral (physical sciences and mathematics)
- Oskemen (chemical and biological sciences)
- Aktobe (physical sciences and mathematics)
- Karagandy (chemical and biological sciences)
- Shymkent (both curricula)
- Taraz (physical sciences and mathematics)
- Kyzylorda (chemical and biological sciences)
- Pavlodar (chemical and biological sciences)
- Atyrau (chemical and biological sciences)
Plans exist to eventually expand the program to 20 separate campuses throughout the country.[1]
Criticism
The Nazarbayev network has been criticized for its concentration on only the best and brightest at the expense of the bulk of the student population.[2] The program is under the direct control of the President's administration, rather than the Ministry of Education, with funding diverted from the Ministry of Education.[2]
