Concerns Raised Over Grant Admissions at Almaty Police Academy, Leadership Responds

Recently, a group of parents staged a protest at the Almaty Police Academy. They were upset that their high-scoring children failed to receive state-funded grants.

Speaking to an Orda.kz correspondent, the parents said Academy staff advised those who didn’t get into the Almaty Academy to instead apply to the academy in Petropavlovsk or Voronezh, Russia.

Parents explained that their children had graduated from specialized schools designed to prepare them for this Academy: the Jas Ulan school in Almaty, and the Arystan Specialized Lyceum. The Academy offers exclusively grant-funded admission; no tuition-based option exists.

Since the list of grant recipients was published yesterday, around 100 parents have gathered outside the Academy. Some of them, distressed by the outcome, experienced spikes in blood pressure and required medical assistance. 

The Academy trains specialists in law enforcement, cybersecurity, forensic support for internal affairs, and information systems.

Zhanar Myrkasymova shared that her child scored 75 points, surpassing the minimum threshold, but still didn’t gain admission:

My son passed both the medical exam and physical test with no issues and still scored 75 on the UNT. And yet he wasn’t admitted. When we asked why, we didn’t get an answer. I believe most of those who got in paid for it. This Academy only accepts students on grants — there’s no paid program. So why not open a tuition-based option? We would pay. Yesterday, my son’s friends told us their scores when they got in — just 52–54 points — and we were left out with 75.

Another parent, Askhat Sharipov, claimed that students with money and connections were awarded grants, while others were left out:

My son scored 74, passed the medical and physical exams with strong results, and still didn’t get in. He was told he didn’t pass the psychological evaluation. And because he’s already 18, they made him sign a form saying he voluntarily declined to study. He only realized afterward what he had signed. I think he was pressured. We went to the director, who told us: ‘Your son can apply to the National Guard’s Military Institute in Petropavlovsk.’ It’s not just my son — many strong candidates weren’t accepted. Instead, grants go to those with money and connections. I have nothing more to say. Let them send a commission to the Almaty Academy and conduct another investigation. I believe if they dig deeper, they’ll uncover a lot.

Some parents claim a girl who wasn’t admitted attempted suicide last Friday by hanging herself on the academy grounds. After she was saved, the Academy allegedly granted her a spot to avoid public backlash.

We contacted the Almaty Police Department. They responded: “This incident was not recorded.” Deputy Head of the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Almaty, Yerzhan Bimoldanov, also denied the claim.

He added that many parents had a limited understanding of the situation and explained that high birth rates in 2007–2008 led to a surge in applicants this year.

This year, 700 children applied. But our academy only has a capacity for 300 students. As much as we’d like to, we can’t accept all 700. Each child went through a selection process. Last year, we admitted 250 students. Even though the minimum score is 50, the sheer number of applicants made the competition much tougher. Many scored over 70. We’ve been explaining this to everyone since yesterday. We can guarantee 100% that the process was fair. The admissions committee included not just academy staff but also an independent panel of veterans and representatives from other law enforcement bodies. The entire process was recorded on video and conducted transparently, Bimoldanov said.

 We also asked about claims that students with 54–56 points were admitted on grants.

Yes, we confirm that. Some students were admitted with 54–56 points. But these applicants belong to special preference categories. This includes individuals who served in the National Guard and met the minimum score, students who scored 100 or more on the UNT, national-level athletes, and children of police officers who died in the line of duty, explained Yerzhan Bimoldanov.

He also explained why the admissions committee directed students who didn’t receive grants to apply to Voronezh:

There is an agreement between Kazakhstan and Russia, which applies to educational institutions under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation located in Moscow, Voronezh, and Yekaterinburg. No exams are required there; it's enough to present the scores obtained here. This year, we were asked to prepare seven applicants, and we offered them. We were also informed that the Military Institute of the National Guard in Petropavlovsk was facing a shortage of students, so we suggested that as an option. In the worst case, students can enroll in another educational institution, study for one semester, and then reapply for a grant here. This is because some students drop out due to disciplinary issues or poor academic performance, which frees up spots for grants.

Original Author: Perizat Zharylkasyn