Astana may postpone beginning of school year due to EXPO-2017

Vice Minister of Education and Science Elmira Sukhanberdiyeva said the Astana education authority is looking into the possibility of postponing the next school year.

"Each city has the right to decide whether to postpone the beginning of the school year or not," she said, adding that the ministry can interfere and issue a corresponding order only if there is a need to postpone the beginning of the school year countrywide.

Sukhanberdiyeva reminded that during the 2017 Winter Universiade, Almaty authorities made their own decisions in terms of winter holidays for schoolchildren. As for Astana, the beginning of the school year may be postponed since the EXPO event will run until September 10.

According to her, the Astana education authority suggested postponing the beginning of the school year until September 12 since the streets of Astana city will be quite busy during the EXPO event. It is also crucial, in her words, to make sure the delay won't affect academic process at schools in Astana.