• Basic Facts
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    Country Name:
    • conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
    • conventional short form: Kazakhstan
    Location:  Kazakhstan is located in central Asia, northwest of China.

      

    Population:  15,143,704 (July, 2004)

     

    Ethnic Groups: (1999)

              Kazakh(Qazaq) 53.4%

              Russian 30%

              Ukrainian 3.7%

              Uzbek  2.5%

              German  2.4%

              Uygur  1.4%

              Other 6.6%  

     

    Languages: (2001)

              Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%

              Russian (Oficial, used in business) 95%

            
     

    Economy: 

    The 1991 breakup of the USSR resulted in a short term decline of the economy.  However, in more recent years, Kazakhstan has had double digit growth largely due to its ever growing energy sector. In addition to economic reform, good harvest and foreign investment are also successful.

     
    Background
    Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes called Native Kazakhs migrated into Kazakhstan in the 13th century.  In 1936, Russia controlled Kazakhstan and added it to the Soviet Union.  In the 1950’s and 1960’s, many citizens came over to cultivate northern Kazakhstan, thus out-numbering the Native Kazakhs.  Kazakhstan declared its Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and many of the soviet citizens living there emigrated.  Today, Kazakhstan is learning how to develop a cohesive nation, export energy resources, achieve economic growth, and strengthen foreign relations.
     
     
    School System
     
    Children go to school from age 6 to age 15. There are five levels of education in the Kazakhstan school system: Pre-Primary, Primary, basic general education level, Senior level education, and professional education.
     
    In the Pre-Primary level, students that are 5 to 6 years old are in Kindergarten for one year.  Students, ages 6 to 10 years old, then move on to the Primary level in which they will stay in this program for four years. Next, students that are 10 to 15 years old attend the Basic level of education. The Basic program is five years long.
     
    Senior level education begins at the age 15 and ends around age 17. Students that complete these programs are awarded a diploma or certificate. Students may also choose to go to a Professional College or a Vocational School for four years starting at the age 15 and ending at the age of 19 years old. A certificate or diploma is also rewarded when the student completes the program. 
     
    The three levels of education: Primary, Basic, and Senior Level can be found in the same school or in three different ones.
     
    New schools such as specialized schools, magnet schools, secondary schools, and linguistic and technical gymnasiums have been found as well.
     
    There are universities, academies , institutes, conservatories, higher schools, and higher colleges for students to attain a higher education.
     
     
    Classroom Applications
    • Many times students from this region are adopted.  A student's age influences how they adapt to function effectively in the United States.  For example, if an adolescent, not only are the students facing issues concerned with teens, but they are experiencing acculturation issues as well.  We need to be attuned to these issues and have empathy yet high expectations.
    • Some of these students need to develop more functional skills, especially if older:  reading bus schedules, school schedules, telephone ettiquette, etc.
    • Some of the students have not experienced formal schooling so we need to help the children understand what it is like to be in school.  We need to provide this socialization into a whole new world.
Last Modified on January 4, 2013