Higher secondary school[edit]
Once leaving lower secondary school, there are three tracks available. Students are free to choose any track of higher secondary education but are required to pursue one track. Graduates of all three tracks are eligible to enter university.
The first track is a general secondary school which covers grades 10 -11 and provides general education covering a variety of subjects.
In addition, there are two curriculum tracks for vocational education: Initial vocational education which is provided by training schools and lycees, and secondary vocational education provided by colleges and trade schools.
Initial training schools are designed to train students in a skilled profession. The program is usually two or three years, (typically ages 16 – 18), but for some professional training four-year programs are required. Students who graduate can go on to Colleges for advanced vocational training or attend university. The state provides costs of education from the budget.
Lycees also provide basic vocational education to prepare students for skilled professions, but also includes general academic education. The course of study is three years. The state provides costs of education from the budget.
Colleges give a program that provides both academic general education and advanced vocational education. Colleges, if licensed, can also provide initial vocational education. Programs last for three or four years (grades 10 – 12, 13). Accelerated programs exist for students who have already completed both general secondary education and initial vocational training in the same field. Graduates may go on to university or may begin working. As of the 1999 Budget Law being passed, colleges are state-owned and self-financed. In principle however, all compulsory education (primary and secondary) is provided free of charge.
The curriculum for both primary and secondary school is established by the Ministry of Education, with little choice left up to the individual schools. Textbooks are sold in bookstores throughout the country and are purchased by the students themselves.
Like primary school, secondary school is subsidized by the government and parents only pay for extra-curricular activities such as sports programs, music programs, and sometimes lab equipment or other special equipment.
Tertiary Institutions[edit]
The universities, following the Russian system, focus entirely on teaching and do not engage in research. Students who are accepted to university at any level apply under a specific major, and the curriculum is set by the university (according to State legislation) for each major. For example, economics majors will all study in the same courses in the same order, separate from English majors who have a different curriculum. Some courses are required for a variety of majors and there is a possibility of switching majors but typically classes do not transfer to the new major and the student is expected to reenter in the new major as a first year.
The government is currently pursuing a program to adopt a credit-system which would allow students to study more easily internationally, and to add the possibility of a curriculum with electives and student-chosen courses.
There are four levels of tertiary education in Kazakhstan:
· Bachelor's degree — typically a four-year degree
· Specialist Degree — typically a five-year degree and more intensive than the Bachelor's
· Master's degree — typically a two-year degree, roughly corresponding to the Western master's.
· Doctoral Degree — typically a five-year program
Universities are usually headed by a rector, appointed by the President of Kazakhstan, who wields considerable authority over the institution, approving all decisions including those regarding curriculum, personnel, and admission. Thus Kazakhstan universities are more centralized than their Western counterparts.
The top two universities in Kazakhstan are al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty and L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University located in Astana.
In addition, there are a few international universities such as KIMEP, which is a joint program, 40% owned by the government of Kazakhstan, but education is based on the Western system. The Kazakh-British Technical University and the Kazakh-American University represent joint projects between Kazakhstan and the UK and the USA, respectively. In all three institutions, the language of instruction is English. The University of Central Asia, founded jointly by the Governments ofKazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and by the Aga Khan, is affiliated with the Aga Khan Development Network. Its Kazakhstan campus is located in Tekeli. A number of specialty universities also exist. As of, there were public universities and private universities.
Private universities, typically for-profit institutions, are subject to the same regulations regarding curriculum but are free to set tuition and salaries as they see fit. Public universities are subject to the same regulations as other government-owned organs, regarding not only fees and salaries, but also administrative structure, contracting and subcontracting, and ownership of property.[7]
State owned universities receive funding if their enrollment reaches 86,000 students or 34%.[6] A small number of universities are financed through a budget line in the Republic budget, such as art academies or international universities.
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Bolashak[edit]
The Bolashak Scholarship of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was created in 1993 by the decree of the President: “In Kazakhstan’s transition toward a market economy and the expansion of international contacts, there is an acute need for a workforce with advanced western education, and so, it is now necessary to send the most qualified youth to study in leading educational institutions in foreign countries”.[7] The Scholarship is merit-based and the selection process includes not only academic credentials, but also competence in the language of study, psychological testing and an interview process. Commitment to development ofKazakhstan and patriotism are factors as well. The final decision is made by the Republican Commission, chaired by the State Secretary and composed of the Ministers, members of Parliament, and members of the Office of the President. The Republican Commission also approves the country of study and program of study.
The Scholarship requires that all recipients return to Kazakhstan after graduating and work for five years in Kazakhstan. The Scholarship pays for all costs related to education, including tuition and fees, costs of travel, and a living stipend. Scholars are expected to maintain academic excellence. In the US, this translates to a 3.0 GPA.
There are currently about 1,800 scholarship recipients studying abroad in 24 countries. About 1,700 were awarded the Scholarship in 2005. The most popular countries are the USA (about 700 students chosen in 2005), the UK (about 400 students chosen last year) and Russia (about 300 students chosen in 2005). Australia and Malaysia are two countries represented for the first time in 2005 and host 2 Bolashak Scholars each. Nazarbayev University started his work from 2010, and it covers Bolashak system, therefore, Bolashak program has been closed for bachelors only.
Transferring to a Credit System[edit]
The government is currently pursuing a program to adopt a credit-system which would allow students to study more easily internationally, and to add the possibility of a curriculum with electives and student-chosen courses.
Kazakh traditions
Kazakhs have always revered and highly valued their national customs and traditions. It is almost impossible to describe all the traditions followed by Kazakh people in one article, thus a brief introduction to Kazakh beliefs and customs is given below.
The main tradition of Kazakhs, which eventually transformed into a feature of national character, is hospitality. In the Kazakh society, there is an unofficial law voiced in ancient times, which says “Meet a guest as the God's messenger”.
Hospitality is considered a sacred duty in the Kazakh society. At all times, the steppe inhabitants did their best to please their guest. Therefore, each traveller knew that he or she would be welcomed anywhere in the Kazakh land.
Respect for the elderly is another positive feature of Kazakhs. Traditionally, a child from early childhood is taught to be moderate and honest when dealing with older, wiser and life experienced people.
However, the above mentioned national identities that served as a basis for the occurrence of generalized rules and principles of public relations (tradition), fortunately, are confined not only to representatives of the Kazakh people. Therefore, we offer to your attention a list of basic and authentic customs, which are widespread in the Kazakh society.
1. Traditions and customs associated with the guest reception
Travellers in Kazakhstan are most likely to be encountered with the traditions, associated with guest reception. Here are some examples of them:
Konakasy - a custom associated with treating of a guest. As mentioned above, Kazakh people since ancient times have been famous for their hospitality. Kazakhs always reserve the tastiest food for guests. Guests are divided into three types: "arnayy konak" is a specially invited guest, "kudayy konak" - a random stranger (uninvited), "kydyrma konak" - an unexpected guest. All these guests, despite of their type are offered a rich table – Konakasy.
Konakkade - a tradition under which a host has a right to ask a guest to sing a song or play a musical instrument (of course, as long as a guest is known for his or her talent), thus ensuring some fun and joy during the feast.
Erulik - if new settlers came to a village erulik was arranged in their honour, i.e. a small celebration that allowed newcomers to quickly adapt to the new location. Also, the custom erulik includes assistance in settling of the newcomers, when neighbours provide them with firewood, drinking water, etc. for the time being.
Toy dastarkhan - a special form of celebration, organized for holiday or during it. Sports competitions, music, singing competitions (aitys) and horse riding competitions are organised in addition to the gatherings during Toy dastarkhan. Very often, dishes of Kazakh national cuisine are served during such occasions.
Baygazy - a tradition of giving a gift to a person, who acquired a new valuable thing.
Asar - a family, which has to perform an urgent and sometimes a hard work, has a right to ask relatives, friends and neighbours for assistance. At the end of the work, a rich table is laid as a gratitude for those, who helped.
Sh і ldehana - a celebration that is associated with childbirth.
Bes і kke salu, besik toy - a holiday, hosted when the newborn is put to a cradle - besik. As a rule, it is organized on the 3rd-5th day after dropout of umbilical cord of the kid.
Tusau kesu - a day when the baby took his first steps the oldest and most respected people is invited to perform a ceremony of Tusau keser. Then he or she should cut the special ropes, beset baby's legs, in order to ensure that in future the kid could walk nicely and run fast.
Sundetke otyrgyzu is a rite of circumcision. The ceremony is held when a boy is 5-7 years old. A big festival to which all the relatives and friends are invited is organized after this. On the occasion of Sundetke otyrgyzu guests usually make generous gifts to the hero of the occasion and his parents.
Английский в нашей жизни значит многое
Весь список топиков на тему «Английский в жизни / English in the life» смотрите здесь
English means much in my life. I think that it means much not only for me. Many people in our country are interested in Eglish.They learn and love it and they think the saim way as I do.
Not long ago computers and internet have appeared. When a man works in the internet he gets much information in English. When you want to set the definite program you meet with many sets in English. If you don`t know English you can`t understand the material.
English enters to our everyday life. On the doors of the shops in our small town we can see the signs "Open" and "Closed".
Whenwe buy TV-sets and telephones we can get instruction and names written in English.
I think that English in our life means much. Certain people, who study English hope to become English men, go abroad, get rich and maybe see famous actors. Is that really wonderful? Maybe with the help of English they can fulfill their dream. To my mind studying English is very interesting and funny. English means much for me.
Nature
All across the 1800 km-long «vertical line» that separates southern and northern confines of Kazakstan one landscape zone replaces another: forest-and-steppe, steppe, semi-desert and desert ones. In the West the territory of Kazakstan shares its border with the Caspian Sea, in the East it is the Altay taiga that lines the Republic and high peaks of Tien-Shan constitute the border of the country in the South. The lowest point the Karaghie depression (132 m below sea-level)- is situated on the Manghystau peninsula while the highest one is Khan Tengri peak in Tien-Shan mountains (about 7,000 m over sea-level). Three major rivers – Yertys, Tobol and Ishim flow into the Arctic Ocean while the rest of the streams either fall into land-locked reservoirs (Caspian and Aral seas, the lake of Balkhash) or just get lost in the vast steppe or desert ranges. It is in fact the main feature of Kazakstan as a geographic region. The second peculiarity consists in a certain asymmetry of landscapes: its western portion (to the West of the 68 E.L. meridian) is almost exclusively plain-like, whereas the eastern one is predominantly mountainous. Apart from such high mountains as Tien-Shan and Altay quite sizable portion of territory is occupied by Tarbagatay, Saur, Kazak low hills, Kokshetau height.
In Kazakstan there grow over 6,000 species of plants (of which 535 grow only here) and on its vast space one can come across almost 500 species of birds, animals (178 spcs), reptiles (49 spcs), amphibia (12 spcs), fish (107 spcs). The host of the invertebrate is ever greater: insects only number some 30,000 species.
The Usturt plateau situated between the Caspian and Aral seas is a slightly hilly desert-like plain, here and there grown with wormwood and unprepossessing shrubs of Russian thistle. Only in wide-spread drainless depressions there occur shrubs of black saxaul. Steep ledges (chinks) add immensely to the inimitable beauty of the landscape.
As to the Alpine heights they are inhabited by an exceedingly rare bird species – the Altay ular.
Steppes of Kazakstan are no second in beauty to other landscape zones. They gain particular fascination because of sweet-and salt-water lakes which attract thousands of waterfowl represented by dozens of species of ducks, geese, gulls, herons, sandpipers, roseate terns. The salt-water lake of Tenghiz situated in Central Kazakstan has been turned into a Kurgaldzhy reserve for it is only here thatpink flamingos make their nests (in fact it is their northernmost colony!). Another, Naurzum steppe reserve is just as rich with various fowl. Apart from a numerous lakes one can admire here a unique pine forest, the southernmost in Kazak steppes. Quite a number of prey-birds have chosen the area for nestling: imperial eagles, falcons (balobans, merlins, common kestrels and others).
Deserts too display no small specifics. For the most part they are represented by vast argillaceous plains grown with wormwood and Russian thistle. Along with the aforementioned Usturt, the world-famous Betpak-Dala ranging from the lake of Balkhash to the rivers of Shu and Sarysu adds much to the peculiar fascination of the area. Sand deserts in Kazakstan are represented by such tracts of sand as Kyzylkum (to the West of Syrdaria river), Muyunkum (to the South of Betpak-Dala and Shu river), by sands of South Transbalkhash territory (Sarytaukum, Saryishikatyrau, etc), Transaral Karakum. Most often the barkhans are covered with saxaul, zhuzghun, sand acacia. The area is inhabited by Middle Asian gazelles ousted to the sands by common sheep, many species of jerboas, polecats, piebald poutorak, steppe wiesel and by several species of birds: saxaul jays, steppe hens, larks, desert doves.
Yet most characteristic of the desert fauna are, no doubt, reptiles: Middle Asian tortoise, the world largest lizard – grey monitor lizard (its habitat is the desert of Kyzylkum only), steppe agama, several species of geckos, round-headed lizards, small lizards and 17 species of snakes.