Knowledge Day in Kazakhstan: traditions, innovations, and key school year figures
On September 1, Kazakhstan traditionally celebrates Knowledge Day, which marks the beginning of the new academic year. To mark the occasion, Kazinform News Agency reports on the traditions, new initiatives, and key figures of the 2025–2026 school year.
The holiday was introduced in 1984 by a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and has since become an important part of the educational calendar. In independent Kazakhstan, Knowledge Day has continued to be observed under a presidential decree issued on January 20, 1998.
On this day, schools all throughout the nation customarily have festive assemblies. Known locally as “lineyka” [Editor’s note: school lineup], these are formal ceremonies held in schoolyards where teachers and principals deliver speeches and students are greeted with festive decorations. Special attention is always given to first-graders, for whom Knowledge Day becomes their first symbolic step into school life.
In 2025, the celebration takes a slightly different form. Since August 30 is a public holiday marking Constitution Day and September 1 falls on a weekend, the start of the academic year has been shifted to September 2. Nevertheless, many schools will still organize assemblies for first-graders on September 1 to preserve the symbolic importance of the date.
The new school year also brings several important innovations. Lessons on personal safety are being introduced across all levels of education and will be held weekly in the format of short homeroom sessions. These lessons will teach children the basics of safe behavior, such as remembering emergency numbers, rules at playgrounds, and how to react when meeting strangers or stray animals.
Older students will learn about bullying, cyberbullying, and the risks of dangerous online trends, while high school and college students will explore topics including financial literacy, online data protection, and safe employment practices. In addition, elements of artificial intelligence have been integrated into the curriculum through digital literacy and computer science subjects.
Minister of Enlightenment Gani Beissembayev, speaking at a government meeting, shared that more than 4.1 million pupils will study at over 8,000 schools across the country in the 2025–2026 academic year. According to him, 341,000 children will start school for the first time, while 232,000 students will move on to grade 11.
Education infrastructure remains a key focus. By September 1, 83 new schools will open, with another 111 to be completed by the end of the year. In total, 232 schools for 267,000 students are under construction nationwide.
Renovation work is also underway at 245 schools, including rural institutions. More than 1,500 subject classrooms for physics, chemistry, and biology are being equipped with modern tools, including digital technologies and 3D models.