New Publication on Educational Inequality

Saule Kemelbayeva, Dean of the ISE, has published a new article on educational inequality in the International Journal of Educational Research (indexed in Scopus, Q1, Web of Science, SSCI).

The study’s findings offer valuable insights for advancing the implementation of SDG 4: Quality Education by informing policies that promote inclusive and equitable quality education for all. It examines how neoliberal education reforms in Kazakhstan have deepened inequality through the emergence of elite secondary schools. The results show that graduates of well-funded elite schools outperform their peers from mainstream public schools. However, these institutions, while fostering strong academic performance and soft skills, limit access for students lacking financial resources or mobility, thereby reinforcing inequality. The research highlights how state-sponsored elite and private schools contribute to unequal outcomes, raising concerns about the inefficiency of public funding and the broader consequences of education marketization in post-Soviet contexts.

Please see the full article here