«Round table» of school directors of Almaty city and Almaty region

February 8, 2019, at the initiative of Abai KazNPU, a «round table» «Updating education in pedagogical universities» to discuss the problems of training in pedagogical universities for educational organizations was held.

The event was attended by KazNPU Rector Takir Balykbayev, Majilis Deputy of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Irina Smirnova, expert on educational programs Saule Kalikova, Director of the Republican Association of Private Educational Organizations Roza Sadykova, Rector of the Kazakh National Women`s Pedagogical University Gaukhar Aldabergenova, General Director of the International Education Center «EDTECH- KZ» Gani Beisembayev, heads of departments and district education departments, directors of schools and teacher training college of the city of Almaty and Almaty region, heads of district education departments.

The «round table» became a platform for discussing issues affecting the quality of education of children and young people.

KazNPU rector Takir Balykbaev opened the round table. «We hold on the initiative of Mazhilis deputy of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Irina Smirnova and our university», - he said - «e plan to develop the activities of this information platform and to hold regularly various discussions. For example, the spectrum of views on the training of pedagogical personnel and the improvement of their qualifications; on the way to solving problems that almost inevitably arise among young novice teachers - graduates of our university; to exchange experience with foreign universities, the implementation of the law «On the status of the teacher».

To solve actual problems, the university has already held a number of events. Thus, on the basis of KazNPU, a Center for Advanced Studies and Distance Education was recently established. Work in this direction is being carried out actively, and a number of activities have already been implemented: advanced training of university teachers; Admission to the holders of «Altyn belgi» for training for free and the provision of special discounts for excellent students of schools and colleges. The professors of our university will be sent to exchange experiences.

The development of the educational system will allow attracting first-class specialists to work in the field of continuous professional improvement of pedagogical activity».

During the work of the «round table», the deputy of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Irina Smirnova took the floor. She thanked the Rector of the University for the support in organizing this information and discussion platform and she focused the attention of its participants on how important it is to solve problems in the sphere of pedagogical education, to implement the tasks set in this regard to the country`s universities by President Nursultan Nazarbayev, to develop education and raise the status of a teacher by training highly qualified specialists for schools and colleges.

Roza Sadykova, Director of the Republican Association of Private Educational Organizations (the topic of the report «Private School as an Innovation Education Center») spoke about the direction of the Association and initiatives to improve the skills of teachers in order to update the content of education, partners of the Association in foreign countries.

Saule Kalikova, educational expert, adviser on public policy issues of the Soros-Kazakhstan Foundation (the theme of the report «Real changes begin where teachers are ready to change»):

«The real implementation of any innovations in schools can only be successful where the learning environment is created, where teachers share a common understanding of goals, have the opportunity to jointly discuss emerging issues and solve them, helping each other, have teamwork skills.

In other words, the school should become a resource for continuous professional development. What can be done to move in this direction?

Here we can discuss different strategies. For example, only two things: make changes to the existing system of school assessment (certification); to focus training programs and professional development of teachers directly on the basis of schools. Teacher training/professional development programs (with the reorientation of public funds) directly in schools, i.e. non-teachers go to courses, programs (programs) are based on schools.

It is necessary to encourage and create conditions for the continuous professional development of teachers in the workplace. Each school should have its own policy regarding the professional development of teachers and, accordingly, increase its potential to realize this goal».

Within the framework of the «round table», the actual problems of training teachers, including those related to updating the content of secondary education, ways of interaction between the school and the university were discussed. Along with this, questions were discussed about the status of the modern teacher and new tasks in the process of carrying out professional activities of graduates of pedagogical specialties, raising the qualifications of teachers, and sharing the experience of university professors.

In the process of «free microphone» questions were asked and suggestions were proposed.

At the end of the event, Rector Takir Balykbayev thanked those present and stressed: «We will develop the activities of the Center for Advanced Studies and Distance Education at the university. All university professors should be sent to schools, at the end of the year we will make an assessment, based on this we will work with the results. We will help in every possible way in solving topical issues regarding the training of specialists in higher education and practice».

Department of Public Relations