Michael O’Sullivan, Chief Executive of Cambridge International Examinations, shares his experience from a recent trip to Astana, Kazakhstan.
Early morning in Astana, the newly constructed capital of Kazakhstan: the name means “capital”. The long winter is setting in and people are stocking up on food at a farmers’ market which has been assembled overnight on the square outside my hotel.
At Cambridge Assessment and the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education we are frequent visitors to this country. We are one of the international partners of the Ministry of Education, supporting its root and branch reform of the national education system: curriculum, exams, teaching methods, everything.
Where in the world is education not being reformed? But here in Kazakhstan, the scale, clarity and consistency of direction stands out. The country has set about constructing the best education system in the world, in all schools within its territory. It is a privilege to be asked to play a part in that.
Michael O'Sullivan
Chief Executive, Cambridge International Examinations
Ahead of our International Education conference last month, Cristina Rimini of Cambridge International Examinations blogged about her work in the region as Kazakhstan undergoes dramatic educational reform, explaining the new curriculum and assessment model which sees the introduction of high stakes tests.
Cristina's experience working with Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) has given her the opportunity to be involved in the “implementation of an innovative, mathematics and science-orientated, trilingual, model school system that integrates the best of Kazakhstani traditions, and that meets international standards of best practice”.
Read her blog here.