Kazakhstan will launch a pilot digital schools project, Qazaq Digital Mektebi, in September 2026, aimed at reducing disparities in educational quality between rural and urban schools.
The initiative will target under-enrolled schools in seven regions, according to the Ministry of Education.
The project provides for the use of AI technologies to support the teaching of natural sciences, mathematics, and humanities. The approach is intended to help students learn more independently while increasing engagement in the learning process.
The pilot phase will be implemented in the North Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Akmola, Pavlodar, West Kazakhstan, Aktobe, and East Kazakhstan regions. Authorities are currently assessing schools’ technical readiness and digital infrastructure.
Based on the pilot’s results, the government plans to develop a national educational platform offering digital content tailored for rural schools.
The ministry is also considering integrating domestic IT solutions, including the Qalan.kz platform, which incorporates gamification and artificial intelligence elements and has more than 800,000 users. The project is a resident of the technology park Astana Hub.
The ministry expects the initiative to improve access to quality education in rural areas and to form part of the country’s broader digital transformation strategy.
The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Kazakhstan is accelerating the adoption of digital technologies across key sectors, including education.
