150 children waiting for admission to psychocorrection services in Pavlodar region

There are more than 8,500 children in Pavlodar region with special educational needs. Of these, over 1,800 attend preschools, about 900 study in special boarding schools, more than 3,700 are enrolled in schools, and over 150 are in vocational education institutions. Around 40 teenagers receive support at the Autism Center, while about 300 children benefit from psychological and pedagogical correctional services.

Currently, the region has 35 special educational organizations and 21 inclusion support rooms in schools, mostly in the cities of Pavlodar, Ekibastuz, and Aksu, which leaves rural families struggling to access services, raising concerns about social isolation for children in villages.

One of the main problems is long waiting lists. According to deputy head of the education department Alma Aituarova, about 150 children are waiting for admission to correctional rooms. The shortage of speech therapists, special education teachers, and assistants remains acute.

“High demand for certain correctional services creates queues, as courses of psychological and pedagogical support can last from 90 to 365 days. This delays admission of new children,” Aituarova explained.

Low wages also contribute to the staffing crisis — assistant teachers earn from 120,000 tenge, making recruitment and retention difficult. Work with children with special needs requires significant psychological resources and constant attention.

Another issue is outdated infrastructure. Modern technologies, sensory rooms, and specialized equipment are available only in select centers. Experts stress that inclusive education requires not only qualified staff but also an appropriate environment.

As written before, there are over 13,500 kids with special educational needs in Akmola region, including 824 with autism spectrum disorders that is 191 more compared to the previous year.