Currently, the voucher funding project has been implemented in the cities of Taraz, Shymkent, and Turkestan.
The head of the capital's Department of Education highlighted the main advantages of the voucher funding system:
- Parental choice. Parents who receive a voucher can select any preschool institution from the List, creating an incentive for kindergartens to improve the quality of services provided and attract and retain new clients. This promotes the principle of “fairness.”
- Objective quality assessment. The revised approach to evaluating kindergarten performance will enable parents to directly assess the quality of educational services, eliminating subjectivity and enhancing the overall level of service. The project also opens doors for new market participants, fostering healthy competition and improving service quality, which aligns with the principle of “quality.”
- Funding transparency. The role of local executive bodies in approving the volume of state orders for each kindergarten will be abolished, and funds will be allocated directly to the child. If a child chooses to move to another kindergarten, the voucher will follow them, ensuring the principle of “transparency.”
Moreover, Kasymkhan Sengazyiev discussed the fundamental principles of voucher funding.
“Previously, a child would wait in line for a spot in a kindergarten, but now they wait for a voucher. The choice of kindergarten is now also made by the parent. Previously, the state educational order was tied to a kindergarten, but now the voucher follows the child,” he explained.
It is noteworthy that the implementation of voucher funding in Astana will begin in January 2025.
In the voucher funding system, the queue is divided into 18 categories based on the child's age and social status. Each category will have its own queue.
The voucher is issued by iteration (repetition), and the queue is automatically updated twice a year.