Kazakhtan develops 2023-2029 Concept of Language Policy Development

Kazakhstanis will have to take a Kazakh language test to get a civil service job. Chief of the Language Policy Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education Yerbol Tleshev said it at the roundtable meeting on «State Language – A Pillar of Peace» held on Thursday, September 15, Kazinform reports.

He said the Government will soon approve a new 2023-2029 Concept of Language Policy Development in Kazakhstan.

According to him, the new concept has already undergone several discussions since February. The concept focuses on making Kazakh the language of science and creating a system of learning the Kazakh language.

«If this initiative is integrated into the concept, a common system of learning the Kazakh language will be created. It will be based on a communicative approach and will cover all those studying the language – from primary school students to civil servants,» Yerbol Tleshev said.

Henceforth, school students graduating from 9^th and 11^th grades will receive the certificates confirming their Kazakh language competence. This certificate will be obligatory if a person is recruited by a civil service agency as well, he added.

Another novelty, in his words, is obligatory knowledge of the Kazakh language by senior governmental officials -ministers, deputy ministers, governors and mayors, deputy governors and deputy mayors.

As reported, the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan held a roundtable meeting on «State Language – A Pillar of Peace» on Thursday in celebration of the Day of Languages of the People of Kazakhstan.

Those attending the meeting were the employees of the central office and subordinate organizations of the President’s Executive Office, representatives of relevant authorities and linguists.