Kazakhstan considers raising minimum passing score for pedagogical specialties
Tengrinews.kz - In Kazakhstan, a proposal has been made to establish a unified minimum passing score across all subjects for those applying for pedagogical specialties with government grants. Mazhilis deputy Irina Smirnova believes this will attract truly motivated and the strongest candidates.
Smirnova directed her parliamentary inquiry to the Minister of Science and Higher Education, Sayasat Nurbek.
"In practice, we are facing a troubling trend of decreasing requirements for future educators. According to the published list of students admitted to educational grants for the 2024/2025 academic year, the minimum score for the specialty 'Pedagogy and Psychology' was only 81 points, while for the field of 'Preschool Education and Upbringing' it was 75 points. For comparison, in the 2023/2024 academic year, the minimum scores for these same specialties were 89 and 75 points, respectively," noted the deputy.
Smirnova believes it is extremely important to raise the standards for future educators and ensure a strict selection of candidates "at the entrance."
"In Finland, only 10 percent of the best school graduates can become applicants to pedagogical universities. Candidates are evaluated not only on academic success but also on personal qualities such as empathy, communication skills, and stress resistance. In Japan, future educators undergo lengthy internships in schools under the guidance of experienced mentors, which allows them to adapt to real working conditions," she said.
In this context, Smirnova proposed establishing a unified minimum passing score across all subjects for those applying for pedagogical specialties with grants. In her opinion, this will attract truly motivated and the strongest candidates.
To enhance motivation, the deputy suggested introducing a mechanism for distributing the best graduates: for those who complete their studies with honors, there should be an opportunity to choose their place of work.
It is worth noting that on May 16, the main stage of the Unified National Test (UNT) began in Kazakhstan, which will last until July 7.
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