BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 5. Kazakhstan has built 1,342 schools with capacity for more than 1 million students over the past seven years, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at a ceremony in Astana marking Teacher’s Day, according to the press service of the Kazakh president.

According to Tokayev, more than 4 million schoolchildren currently live in Kazakhstan, accounting for every fifth citizen of the country.

He noted that the strength of a civilized and advanced state is determined not so much by its natural wealth as by the quality of its human capital. The position of the state in the world and its economic potential depend on the level of education and science in society. Tokayev said that Kazakhstan is taking consistent measures in this area.

“For example, over the past seven years, 1,342 schools with capacity for more than 1 million students have been built in the country. Construction of another 101 schools is underway this year,” the president said.

Within the framework of the Keleshek mektepteri national project, a new standard for educational institutions has been developed, according to Tokayev.

“As a result, educational institutions with modern infrastructure are being built, providing all the conditions for quality education and the development of children. To date, 217 such schools with capacity for 460,000 students have been built,” he said.

Of these, 84 schools, or around 40%, are located in rural areas, Tokayev said.

“In my speeches, I always emphasize that both villages and cities should have modern schools that provide children with equal access to quality education. The state is currently implementing a program to widely introduce specialized artificial intelligence-based lessons in secondary schools,” the president said.

He instructed the government to pay particular attention to the introduction of AI-based education in schools.

Tokayev also said that more than 4 million schoolchildren should have the opportunity to live in a developed state, a safe environment and a civilized society.

“To this end, we have embarked on building a Fair, Strong, Clean and Advanced Kazakhstan, where equal opportunities are open to everyone, and have implemented large-scale reforms. We have adopted the Constitution, the foundation and main document that has opened the way for our country to an era of prosperity,” he said.

According to the president, the Constitution for the first time included specific provisions aimed at developing education and enlightenment. Human capital, science, education and innovation were established as a state responsibility and a strategic direction of its activities.

He also highlighted recent changes to the country’s political system, including the first elections to the unicameral Kurultai, the formation of a new government, the appointment of a Vice President, the establishment of a new state body - the Office of the Security Council - and the launch of the Kazakhstan People’s Council.