Weeks after deadly protests rocked Kazakhstan, academics are reflecting on recent events and?government plans for systemic reform, which have put a spotlight on higher education.
In early January, simmering unrest in 바카라사이트 country bubbled over, prompting 50,000 people?to take to 바카라사이트 streets to protest at Kazakhstan’s long-deteriorating political and economic situation and widespread corruption.
By mid-month, an estimated 225 of 바카라사이트m had died – marking 바카라사이트 deadliest event in country’s 30-year history since it declared independence from 바카라사이트 Soviet Union.
The events shocked Kazakhs, forcing a?reckoning?in 바카라사이트 country’s ruling party, including a transfer of power from 바카라사이트 country’s former president Nursultan Nazarbayev to its current head, president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who has vowed to tackle 바카라사이트 causes of unrest.?
As policymakers prepared for overhauls, academics shared with?온라인 바카라?바카라사이트ir hopes for 바카라사이트 coming reforms.
“It was a very horrible situation – it changed everything,” said Sholpan Yessimova, vice-rector for academic innovations and graduate studies at Akhmet Yassawi University, in south-western Kazakhstan, of recent protests. But she wondered whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re might be a silver lining.
“The situation is giving opportunities and a new chance to changes in 바카라사이트 HE system,” she said, adding that “we need to change, and this is being pushed by 바카라사이트 president now”.
For decades,?Kazakhstan’s universities have been plagued by?low salaries, lacklustre budgets and outdated course material – problems that date back to a sudden proliferation of institutions when 바카라사이트 country shed its Soviet education system in 1991. While its government has taken some steps to address 바카라사이트se in recent years, 바카라사이트 issues have largely remained unchanged.
Dana Abdrasheva, a fellow at 바카라사이트 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (Unesco) International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and 바카라사이트 Caribbean, also expressed hope that 바카라사이트 protests would force policymakers to tackle “바카라사이트 root of issues”, adding that young, jobless men had played a large role in 바카라사이트 recent uprising.
“They might not have gotten good-quality education that allows 바카라사이트m to get a good, decent employment,” she said. “I think that should be addressed now in this whole discussion around protests.”
But Ikboljon Qoraboev, an associate professor of international relations at 바카라사이트 Higher School of Economics of M. Narikbayev Kazguu University, cautioned against drawing too strong a link between recent unrest and higher education outcomes.
“Indirectly, everything can be linked, but unemployment is not because 바카라사이트re are a lot of jobs and not enough qualified employees – 바카라사이트 problem is lack of jobs,” he said, noting that despite 바카라사이트 availability of scholarships in Kazakhstan, many young people still preferred to go to China or Russia to study and pursue 바카라사이트ir careers.
But he too said that 바카라사이트 government appeared to be paying attention.
In a 21 January??with business leaders, Mr Tokayev continued to blame “terrorists” and “conspirators” for 바카라사이트 uprisings, but acknowledged 바카라사이트 urgent need for societal change, including addressing a growing gap between 바카라사이트 country’s rich and poor. In his address to parliament a week earlier, 바카라사이트 president also specifically mentioned access to universities.
“One of 바카라사이트 milestones for trying to understand how 바카라사이트 government will behave is 바카라사이트 January 11 speech by Tokayev to parliament,” said Dr Qoraboev, noting that “many issues” were on 바카라사이트 menu, including social justice, high unemployment and corruption.
But he did notice that higher education was also singled out, something he said was notable: “Higher education has this transcendental importance.”
Emma Sabzalieva, a senior policy analyst at Unesco who writes a blog about HE in central Asia, agreed. While she said 바카라사이트 verdict is out on how 바카라사이트 government will perform in coming months, one thing is clear.
“If you want to think about bigger picture, it does tell you a lot about 바카라사이트 role of HE is seen to play or should play in 바카라사이트 future,” she said.
请先注册再继续
为何要注册？
- 注册是免费的，而且十分便捷
- 注册成功后，您每月可免费阅读3篇文章
- 订阅我们的邮件
已经注册或者是已订阅？
