English
In early 2021, the Senate of Kazakhstan adopted amendments to the law on education, which legally consolidated the concept of "distance education" and regulated the norms for its implementation.
However, some of these amendments can be interpreted as a ban on the education of Kazakh children in online schools located physically outside the state.
According to the amendments, "all children who are citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan and reside permanently in its territory must receive secondary education in educational institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan". This provision is causing some anxiety among many parents, who are concerned about what penalties will follow if their children receive secondary education in foreign online schools, and not in schools in their place of residence. Till date, lawyers have not been able to give a satisfactory reply to this concern.
As a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic and the closure of most schools or their transition to distance learning, the demand for online education abroad has grown in Kazakhstan. If the amendments really imply a ban, children will have to give up foreign online education and return to Kazakh schools. If they want to continue their online studies in foreign schools, they will have to either leave the territory of Kazakhstan, or change their citizenship.
However, lawyers are inclined to believe that in case of violation of the law on education, the provisions of the administrative code will be applicable, insofar as the amendments are silent about the consequent penalties. Thus, parents who refuse to return their children to Kazakh schools will be forced to pay a fine of 10 MCI, equivalent to about $ 69.
