The publication “Access to education for children of migrants in the Aktobe region of Kazakhstan: recommendations for the evidence-based decision making (white paper) ” was prepared by Zhanna Sagyndykova with the support of the IWPR Representative Office in Central Asia and the regional analytical platform CABAR.asia.
For citation and references to the material, please indicate: Zhanna Sagyndykova, Access to education for children of migrants in the Aktobe region of Kazakhstan: recommendations for the evidence-based decision making (white paper) 2026, CABAR.asia.
This study evaluates current policies regarding the education of migrant children in the Aktobe region of Kazakhstan and offers evidence-based recommendations to improve the situation in this area.
Experts estimate that over 2 million migrants from neighboring Central Asian countries enter Kazakhstan annually. In December 2022, the Minister of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan approved new regulations governing access to education for foreign nationals and stateless persons permanently residing in the country. The order specifies the categories of foreign nationals whose children are eligible to attend schools in Kazakhstan; however, these categories represent only a small fraction of the foreign nationals actually present in the country. Furthermore, the order contains contradictions, gaps, and inconsistencies that hinder its implementation. As a result, a large number of children of foreign nationals have been deprived of the right to school education. These include the children of irregular migrants temporarily present in the country without the right to legal employment, as well as the children of undocumented migrants, those with undetermined citizenship status, and others. The report notes that it is impossible to determine the exact number of foreign children who are ineligible to attend schools in Kazakhstan. Between December 2024 and October 2025, the “Daris-2016” Public Foundation conducted a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the situation, comprising two sequential stages: Desk research: December 2024 – March 2025; II. Data collection: February – October 2025. The analysis identified key barriers hindering access to education and educational integration for migrant children. These include gaps and contradictions in the legislative framework, a lack of awareness among migrants regarding their children’s right to education, a shortage of statistical data on key indicators, language barriers, and insufficient coordination among relevant agencies. The issues identified also result in the inadequate implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration—agreements to which Kazakhstan is a party. As a result of this work, recommendations have been developed for government agencies, local self-government bodies, educational institutions, and migrant families; these recommendations aim to eliminate barriers preventing the educational integration of migrant children in the Aktobe region. Implementing these recommendations will, in particular, facilitate the development of more effective support strategies and programs, thereby creating conditions for the better adaptation of migrant children.
‘This publication was funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of IWPR and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.