New School Year Begins Across Kazakhstan Amid Knowledge Day Festivities

On September 1, Kazakhstan traditionally celebrates Knowledge Day, marking the start of the new academic year with festive events, new educational initiatives, and key developments for the 2025-2026 school year.

Introduced in 1984 by a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Knowledge Day has become a cornerstone of Kazakhstan’s educational calendar, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

In independent Kazakhstan, the holiday continues under a presidential decree issued on January 20, 1998.

Schools nationwide hold festive assemblies, known as “lineyka”, where principals and teachers address students in decorated schoolyards. Special attention is given to first-graders, for whom the day symbolizes the beginning of their school journey.

This year, the celebration has been slightly adjusted: with August 30 marking Constitution Day and September 1 falling on a weekend, the academic year will officially begin on September 2. Nevertheless, many schools will still hold assemblies on September 1 to maintain the symbolic significance of the date.

The 2025-2026 school year introduces several innovations. Weekly personal safety lessons will teach pupils emergency numbers, playground safety, and how to respond to strangers or stray animals. Older pupils will focus on bullying, cyberbullying, and online risks, while high school and college students will study financial literacy, data protection, and safe employment practices. Additionally, artificial intelligence elements have been integrated into digital literacy and computer science curricula.

Kazakh Minister of Enlightenment Gani Beissembayev noted that over 4.1 million pupils will attend more than 8,000 schools, including 341,000 first-graders and 232,000 pupils entering grade 11.

Education infrastructure continues expanding. By September 1, 83 new schools have opened, with another 111 scheduled for completion by year-end. Nationwide, 232 schools serving 267,000 students are under construction, while renovations are underway at 245 schools, including rural institutions. Over 1,500 science classrooms are being equipped with modern tools, digital technologies, and 3D models to enhance learning.