Kazakhs will be taught entrepreneurship from the school bench.

Systematic measures and a conceptual approach are needed in this matter.

A round table on the topic of “Development of entrepreneurship and business education in Kazakhstan” was held in Astana, organized by the “Talimger” project of Timur Kulibayev’s “Khalyk” charitable foundation, inbusiness.kz reports.

The event was attended by representatives of authorized government agencies, political public associations, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, higher education institutions, private and public schools, colleges, preschool organizations, corporate universities of large businesses, experts in the field of business education and public opinion leaders.

It should be noted that today entrepreneurial skills are at the forefront of many educational programs. Around the world, business sets a clear course for the future, promoting the integration of entrepreneurship education and financial literacy at all levels. To keep pace, Kazakhstan requires systemic measures and a conceptual approach in this area. Our country must become an entrepreneurial nation to address challenges aimed at achieving significant economic growth. This was the main topic of discussion at the roundtable. Participants considered current problems and challenges related to entrepreneurship and business education in Kazakhstan, including the creation of an expert platform for developing a strategic document on the development of entrepreneurship and business education. Updating the curriculum for the subject “Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship and Business” for high school and college students is particularly important. Achieving this requires addressing several issues, such as the systematization and coordination of efforts among all stakeholders in education to advance entrepreneurship education at all levels.

There is a need to develop a strategic document on the development of entrepreneurship and business education in the country, which would eventually elevate this direction to the state level and cover all levels of education. It is essential to establish partnerships for entrepreneurship education and training between the business community and a range of ministries involved in this area. According to roundtable participants, the implementation of entrepreneurship education at all levels will form a human capital equipped with entrepreneurial skills, supporting both industrial growth and the development of small and medium-sized businesses. This process should begin at school, starting with an update of the high school subject “Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship and Business” to reflect current realities.

Following the meeting, participants recommended establishing two working groups tasked with developing a strategic document on the development of entrepreneurship and business education in Kazakhstan. They also proposed authorizing the “Tälimger” project of the Halyk Charitable Foundation to unite and coordinate developers responsible for updating the school subject “Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship and Business.” Additionally, it was recommended to analyze the state educational standards concerning entrepreneurship disciplines, including their content and structure, with a focus on an interdisciplinary approach to teaching entrepreneurial skills.

The Ministry of Education was advised to consider teaching business through the introduction of the course “Technology and Entrepreneurship” for middle school students (grades 5–9) and making the “Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship and Business” course mandatory in grades 10–11 and at all levels of education. Additionally, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education was encouraged to review proposals from major enterprises on training a new type of engineer—science engineers, entrepreneurial engineers, and production engineers.

The Ministry of Education and the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs need to create opportunities for businesses and individuals to open private schools and stimulate their development with an entrepreneurial focus.

Entrepreneurship education (school–college–university) should become an integral part of initiatives to develop SMEs. This requires the preparation of qualified personnel. The issue should be delegated to “Tälimger” to conduct relevant professional development courses for teachers in entrepreneurship education. Career guidance should begin in 7th grade, creating opportunities for specialized training (arts, technological entrepreneurship, and others). Naturally, AI should also be integrated into the context of entrepreneurship education.

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