Why Did A Dispute Over Language of Instruction at New Almaty School Emerge?

Residents of the Bostandyq district in Almaty expected the newly opened School No. 215 to be entirely Kazakh-language. The decision to also open Russian-language classes has sparked backlash, Orda.kz reports.

Parents say they were initially assured that the school would operate only in Kazakh. But once enrollment began, they discovered that Russian classes would also be offered.

We saw parents standing in a long line for Russian classes. After that, we were told that the school would be opened as a mixed one,
one parent explained.

Opponents argue that the district already has more schools with Russian-language classes, while the nine Kazakh-language schools are overcrowded. The nearest Russian-language school, Gymnasium No. 38, is located right behind the new School No. 215.

Parents’ Appeal to Akim

Parents submitted a letter to Almaty Akim Darkhan Satybaldy demanding that the school remain entirely Kazakh-language. In it, they outlined concerns with mixed-language schools:

• Undermining the prestige of the state language, as Kazakh is perceived as secondary
  
• Division of students by language, which hinders school unity and communication
  
• Difficulties in organizing instruction in two languages, affecting quality
  
• A shortage of bilingual teachers

They also pointed to overcrowding:

For example, our children are currently studying at School-Lyceum No. 146. There are a lot of students: on average, 28 to 36 people in one class. If there are 20-22 students in a classroom, this is normal: the teacher has time to explain the material and ask for homework in 45 minutes. But if there are 34-36 people in a class, this clearly interferes with the learning process,
the letter states.

Meanwhile, teacher and activist Darkhan Ardakuly argued that School No. 215 should be exclusively Kazakh-language, calling it “a requirement of the times.”

Shortly after, Ardakuly reported that he was sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest:

Akimat’s Response

The akimat stated that no final decision had been made on the school’s language of instruction.

A class opens when there are 25 students. If there are fewer than 25 applications for a class with a specific language of instruction, such a class does not open. In this case, parents are asked to send their children to the nearest schools of their choice,
 the official response said.

Officials acknowledged rising demand for Kazakh-language education: from just 11,000 students in 1990 to 177,000 today in Almaty.

In the Bostandyq district, out of 34 schools, nine are Kazakh-only, 10 are Russian-only, and 15 are mixed.

Original Author: Aisha Aldayar