Government reviewed implementation of national plan on functional literacy development

Implementation of the National Plan gains special importance in the context of fulfillment of tasks set in the article of the President "Social Modernization of Kazakhstan: 20 Steps toward Society of Universal Labor".

Minister of Education and Science of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Zhumagulov informed about the process of implementation of the Plan., Pm.kz site informs.

"The National Action Plan sets a specific task - application of knowledge in practice and it is also one of the bases for fundamental change of the paradigm of secondary education. This is a transfer from the traditional model of school to a rational and later a modern one - phenomenal model based on the role of a child's personality," the Minister emphasized.

The National Plan outlines mechanisms of development of the functional literacy of Kazakhstani school students.

The first mechanism implies fundamental update of methodologies and content of education. It includes preparation and professional development of teachers, introduction of e-learning and innovative technologies of education that will be provided by means of spread of the experience of Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools.

Besides, textbooks of a new format ensuring person-oriented methodology of education will be developed. The Ministry of Education and Science has already started development of a project titled: "Development Textbooks".

The second mechanism is modernization of the system of results assessment. Thus, functional literacy development requires new approaches to assessment of student's achievements based on a new system of criteria "knowledge - understanding - application - systematization - generalization". The work on creation of a system of split-level tests on all disciplines for all grades was started.

Active participation of parents in education of children is the third mechanism of functional literacy development. The work on development of a new methodology was started. A system of trainings and seminars for parents is developed as well.

The fourth mechanism of functional literacy development implies development of additional education. Fundamental changes in the work of palaces of school students, music schools, centers of young engineers and naturalists, etc. are outlined in the National Plan. New technologies and innovative forms such as interactive parks for children, technology parks, museums, scientific hobby groups, etc. will be introduced.

Totally, the Action Plan till 2016 includes 37 activities. Implementation of 11 of them begins in 2012.

Implementation of the National Plan will create the bases for development of functional literacy of school students. It will result in an increase of student's interest in creativity and innovations, provide them with new motivation to study and work.