Bolashak Program to be integrated into gifted children identifying and support system - Sec of State

ASTANA. KAZINFORM Secretary of State of the Republic of Kazakhstan Gulshara Abdykalikova participates in the Bolashak Alumni Reunion Conference being held in Astana today. Addressing the participants with a speech she said that Kazakhstan President's Bolashak International Scholarship Program will be integrated in the system of identification and support of gifted children. According to her, 11,000 young

Kazakhstanis have been awarded Bolashak Scholarship since its establishment in 1993. More than 8,000 highly-qualified specialists have been trained for various sectors of economy. "These are more than 2,000 employees of industrial and agricultural sectors, around 2,000 education specialists, about 1,500 IT and communications specialists, 600 medical workers, more than 400 civil servants, 85 PhD holders and around 2,500 socio-humanitarian sector workers. Almost one fourth of Bolashak program graduates hold senior positions," said Abdykalikova. The Secretary of State informed also about improvement of the Presidential program which is required by competitive struggle for highly-qualified personnel. "Presently, the program focuses on the quality of each specialist trained. Bolashak Program should be fully aimed at target training of personnel to ensure proper implementation of 100 Specific Steps Nation's Plan projects," she added. As G. Abdykalikova said, Kazakhstan has developed an institutional scheme of identification and support of gifted children. In the nearest future Bolashak Program will be integrated in this system based on "School-University-International Scholarship-Bolashak" principle, The Sec of State noted. "The program should enhance its research potential and carry out proper training of the youth through the introduction of Split PhD program in Kazakhstani universities," she concluded.