Kazakhstani Pupils May Go Back to School If Their Teachers Get Vaccinated

All schools in Kazakhstan may resume the traditional way of teaching if 100% of teachers will be vaccinated, highlighted Erlan Kiyasov, the chief sanitary doctor of the country during today’s meeting on issues of the education system.

At the same time, schools have to embrace a range of sanitary rules such as bigger distance between classes even on class breaks, stricter control on nutrition and a ban on mass events.

«Concerning the higher educational system, all students over 18 have to get a vaccine or switch to distance learning,» said Kiyasov.

Gabit Bekakhatov, the chairman of the physical and mathematical school has suggested splitting pupils into three blocks of elementary, secondary, and high school. In the case of COVID-19, the risk of quarantine of all three blocks at once is minimal, and this measure can be applied only to one block.

«School executives must be armed with specific recommendations on the physical splitting of pupils. For example, they have to be ready to set different times for class breaks and even for the start of the learning year,» Bekakhmetov noted.

Toleugali Taytuleev from Almaty State College of Energy and Electronic Technologies, also warned about risks of virus spreading in public transportation, which many students actively use.

Distance learning in Kazakhstan has been used since March 2020 when the government declared a state of emergency. Later, the minister of education said that another year of distance learning is very undesirable for the system of education and pupils. 

According to Sholpan Karinova, vice-minister of education 7,475 schools in Kazakhstan will be opened on September 1, 2021.