1. 2010 Intel ISEF Educator Academy

2. Team members 2 Nurgali Arshabekov Head of K-12 department of Ministry of Science and Education of Kazakhstan Askar Aryngazin Director, Institute for Basic Research, Eurasian National University, Kazakhstan Isa Baitullin National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan Anastasiya Prychynenko Intel ISEF coordinator in Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan

3. Educational Environment Over 180.000 teachers employed in the public sector (2006) and 1.874.100 students constitute the ratio of 1:10 in Kazakhstan. Compulsory school age is 7-17. Compulsory school is organized in a two tier system. Approx. 773.000 students are currently enrolled in the KZ higher education system; about 51% of pupils go on to higher education. Higher education is one of the top policy priorities for the government. 3

4. Maths & Science are compulsory subjects in the national curriculum to age 17; National Curriculum defines graduation requirements; University entrance is determined by National Test taken at age 17. 4 Educational Environment

5. 5 Countries/ Territories EDITotal primary NER Adult literacy rate Gender specific EFA index (GEI) Survival rate to grade 5 Kazakhstan 1232173 Japan 2711033 Germany 3328120 Norway 43314 5 United Kingdom 58141920 Italy 615341211 Denmark 72711320 Education Development Index by UNESCO, 2006

6. 6 Country 1995, average score s.e. 2007, average score s.e. TIMSS average5000.05000.0 Hong Kong SAR 1 5574.06073.6 Singapore5904.55993.7 Chinese Taipei — †5761.7 Japan5671.95682.1 Kazakhstan 2 —†5497.1 Russian Federation—†5444.9 England4843.35412.9 Latvia 2 4994.65372.3 Netherlands 3 5493.05352.1 Lithuania 2 — †5302.4 United States 4,5 5183.05292.4 Germany—†5252.3 Denmark 4 —†5232.4 Australia4953.45163.5 Hungary5213.65103.5 Italy — †5073.1 Austria5312.95052.0 Sweden—†5032.5 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Tests average mathematics scoresof fourth-grade students, by country in 2007 place Kazakhstan students 5th in the list of about 40 tested countries:

7. Science Fairs Since 1996, there have been fairs for a national scientific practical center Daryn, including activities, conferences, Olympiads, and the judging of projects. Funding came mostly from the government, coordinated through Daryn center. This included the annual conference “Opening world of Science”, annual nationwide 5-stage Olympiad in 14 subjects for 9, 10, and 11 grade students (about 500,000 participants), the annual judging of projects, Ak Bota intellectual marathon, math game Kangoroo, and Olympiads in Radioelectronics (held in 2006, 2007). 16 Regional Fairs feed into the National Fair. In 2006, Kazakhstan hosted 7 th Asian Physics Olympiad for pre- university or senior high school students. Kazakhstan will host International Mathematics Olympiad 2010 gathering students from more than 100 countries. 7

8. Science Fairs Some obstacles faced in Kazakhstan: Resist tendency of simplifying curriculum, to provide fundamental scientific knowledge. We are observing tendency to simplify curriculum as compared to standards of the previous system, which gave priority to intense math and fundamental aspects of science. This influences on general level of projects presented at fairs. Higher level of secured funding As the national science fairs have became high motivation for students we are worrying about sufficient level of secured funding of science fairs. 8