Kazakhstan’s New Teacher Certification Rules: What You Need to Know

The Committee of Secondary Education of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan has announced a comprehensive reform of the teacher certification system. Aligned with the mandates of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the new model aims to streamline the evaluation process, remove bureaucratic hurdles, and establish a more meritocratic system for educators.

The reform introduces several transformative changes to the current educational policy:

In a significant move to reduce pressure on educators, mandatory testing will be abolished for the majority of teachers. Subject-specific examinations will now only be required for individuals returning to the profession after a hiatus and for educational leadership roles, including school directors, deputies, and methodologists.

The new criteria for awarding qualification tiers will prioritize a teacher’s classroom experience, student achievement levels, and overall instructional quality. Educators will no longer be burdened with the mandatory requirement to develop original author programs or additional methodological manuals.

The Ministry is putting an end to the practice of charging fees for retaking tests. Furthermore, mechanisms are being developed to refund teachers who previously paid for testing services out of their own pockets.

Teachers who were unable to meet previous threshold scores will retain their current qualification categories and corresponding salary bonuses. Their next certification cycle has been rescheduled for the 2026-2027 academic year under the newly simplified rules.

The full-scale implementation of this new certification model is slated for 2027. Currently, the Ministry of Education is finalizing the necessary legislative amendments to formalize these regulations.