Republican Congress of History Teachers “Historical education at school: new concept, open mind, current view”

On March 3, 2022, M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University of Petropavlovsk city (Kyzylzhar) hosted a Congress of History Teachers called: “Historical education at school: new concept, open mind, current view.”

The aim of the Congress is to involve the potential of highly qualified teachers in solving urgent problems of teaching History and finding rational ways to improve the education quality.

This event gathered more than 300 delegates, where participated 19 teachers from East Kazakhstan region.

The Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askhat K. Aimagambetov welcomed the participants.

The reports were made by the President of Y. Altynsarin NAO Gani B. Beisembayev, historical scholars Z. E. Kabuldinov, E. B. Sydykov and others.

During the Congress, discussions were held in 5 sections in the following topics:

1. The content of historical education at school: compulsory standards of education, standard curricula, standard education programs, textbooks.
2. Evaluating students’ educational achievements: state, problems and recommendations.
3. Research and design projects of schoolchildren in History: state, problems and recommendations.
4. Training of teachers of History, professional development, appraisal: state, problems, recommendations.
5. Conceptual framework of teaching History in institutions of secondary education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (draft).

the Congress placed the major emphasis on the discussion of the draft of a New Concept of teaching History.

1. A basic model of presenting National History has been proposed for teaching based on the following principles and approaches:
2. The principle of the priority of National History
3. The principle of integrity.
4. The principle of continuous development.
5. The release of historical consciousness and humanitarian knowledge from the colonial blockade.
6. The content of the basic model of National History.

The general structure of the historical process is proposed to be divided into the following stages:

1. Ancient (prehistoric) period.
2. The period of early nomads (ancient historical period).

III. Turkic period.

1. Great Ulus (Ulus Jochi) and the period of his successors.
2. The period of the Kazakh Khanate.
3. The period of colonization of the Great Steppe.

VII. The Soviet period.

VIII. The period of Independent Kazakhstan.

The proposals and wishes expressed during the work of the section were summarized. As a result, the Minister of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan stressed that the proposals, wishes are appropriate and they will be implemented gradually.  

On March 15, 2022, as part of the Congress, it is planned to hold a Forum with History teachers of East Kazakhstan region.