Teach for Qazaqstan: unlock the potential of children in the regions of the country

EVERY CHILD DESERVES EQUAL ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION

BE THE TEACHER YOU ALWAYS WISHED YOU HAD

JOIN A GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF LEADERS

A TEACHER’S WORDS CAN REWRITE THE FUTURE

О нас

Who are we?

Our program tackles educational inequality by fostering safe, inclusive spaces where every child’s dignity and individuality are valued.

What do we do?

We recruit, train, and support professionals from diverse backgrounds who commit to teaching for two years in regional schools.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for LEADERS who can become role models FOR CHILDREN, those who will help to FULFILL their POTENTIAL, and become not just teachers, but mentors and friends to their students.

We believe every child deserves a future shaped by their potential, not limited by their background. By ensuring equal access to education, we can empower kids to chart their own course in life, regardless of where they start.

Our Values

Faith

We strive to create an environment where mistakes are possible, barriers are surmountable, and high faith in children and communities allows everyone to unlock their potential.

Inclusion and Diversity

We respect differences in people, cultures and experiences, create safe and equal conditions, practice empathy, active listening and do not violate personal boundaries.

Devotion

We make decisions through the lens of TFQ mission, even in difficult situations, remain true to our values and are ready to go above and beyond for children.

Collective leadership

We believe that systemic change is possible only through teamwork: everyone has a voice and the opportunity to influence the process, demonstrate leadership and share responsibility.

Justice

We create processes that eliminate elitism, consider different perspectives and provide choice based on the principle of equality.

What are the challenges leading to inequality in education?

DEMOGRAPHIC GROWTH

Increasing birth rates and migration inflow contribute to population growth, especially among children. This intensifies social inequality due to uneven distribution of resources.

UNDERDEVELOPED INFRASTRUCTURE

Unequal funding leads to shortage of school places, unsafe buildings and double or triple shift learning. Problems with roads and public utilities are also acute.

TEACHER SHORTAGE

In 2022, only 18.5% of teachers in rural schools and 31.2% in urban schools had the highest qualification. According to government data, in 2023 Kazakhstan lacked more than 4 thousand teachers.

ACCELERATING URBANIZATION

The growth of urbanization leads to unequal funding and deteriorating conditions in rural schools, which stimulates families to move closer to urban educational institutions.

schools in Kazakhstan

8 out of 10 schools are in rural areas. However, 56% of all students attend urban schools.

students, meaning every seventh citizen in the country is a school student.

is where Kazakhstan stands worldwide in terms of education system quality

WHAT DO CHILDREN IN RURAL COMMUNITIES DREAM OF?

In this video, we, together with our friends from Dope Söz, visited one of the partner schools in Karaganda region. The Dope Söz team met with program participants to understand how their lives have developed, what difficulties they faced, and what lessons they learned during this time.

But most importantly, we talked with the children of this village, learned about their dreams, what they plan to do in adult life, and how they live at this wonderful age.

The video was shot by our friends, the Dope Soz team, as part of a special project in the village of Gabiden Mustafin. The original is available on [Dope Soz s YouTube channel].

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Support the project

The Public Foundation Teach for Qazaqstan is supported by The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan The Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan

We operate in accordance with the State Compulsory Standard of General Secondary Education and the Professional Standard "Teacher" as per the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Our selected fellows will take the national Teacher Knowledge Assessment test. Upon completion of the pedagogical retraining, the project finalists receive a special certificate.

Teach for All

Teach for Qazaqstan is inspired by the idea and contribution of the global organization Teach For All, founded in 2007.

The organization consists of 64 independent partner organizations, each working to achieve educational equality in their respective countries.

In May 2023, Teach for Qazaqstan became a full partner of Teach For All, allowing for the exchange of international educational experiences that contribute to the successful development and rapid scaling of the program in Kazakhstan.

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2-Year Fellow’s Journey

The selection process is conducted in two rounds. During the selection, candidates are assessed based on their potential and motivation to work as teachers in schools across Kazakhstan. Candidates are selected by a committee that includes education experts, HR professionals, and independent specialists

Immersion (Matriculation): Fellows go through an online immersion into the Teach For Qazaqstan ecosystem. They take part in webinars and sessions focused on the Fund’s mission and values, the program’s theory of change, the specifics of working in the non-profit and social innovation sector, issues of educational inequity, and the realities of working in regional communities.

Pedagogical Retraining Courses & Teacher Knowledge Assessment: Fellows complete a blended (online and offline) pedagogical retraining program, including the Summer Institute and in-school teaching practice. The curriculum covers topics such as developmental psychology and physiology, theory of education, instructional design, and classroom management.

The Teacher Knowledge Assessment serves as a key step for fellows to continue in the program and become eligible for school placement. It’s important to note that the training program requires full commitment — including the offline Summer Institute, which lasts approximately 40 days.

Year 1 in the Program: Fellows receive continuous support in two key areas: coaching and instructional guidance. They also take part in ongoing professional development to strengthen their teaching skills through both online and offline formats. During this year, fellows begin to form the early ideas for their own educational or community-based projects.

Year 2 in the Program: Fellows implement their own social and cultural projects for children and local communities, aiming to create meaningful change at the grassroots level. During this period, they also choose and begin developing within a professional track aligned with their future career interests — such as teaching and/or coaching, education management, social innovation and entrepreneurship, or research. Both coaching and instructional support continue throughout the second year.

Our Partners

We are deeply grateful to our partners for supporting us in achieving our mission.