Kazakhstan’s First Inclusive School Challenges Traditional Education Norms
Kazakhstan’s first independent inclusive school, Insight School, has opened in Almaty. This innovative educational institution brings together children with diverse learning needs, including those with autism and ADHD. The school's mission is to make inclusion a standard part of education in the country.
The idea for Insight School came to founder Saltanat Murzalinova-Yakovleva after she experienced an inclusive learning environment in 2016. Since then, she has worked to create a space where children of all abilities can learn side by side.
The school focuses on hiring professionals who combine expertise with empathy. However, one of the biggest hurdles remains public misunderstanding of inclusion. Many still view differences as obstacles rather than strengths. Parents are actively involved in the school’s approach. Insight School provides them with guidance to better understand and support their children’s unique abilities.
Meanwhile, government policies in Kazakhstan often prioritize broad accessibility over individual needs, leaving gaps in tailored support. Diagnoses of autism and ADHD have risen in recent years, not because cases are increasing, but because awareness has grown. Yet, the shift towards seeing these conditions as different ways of perceiving the world is still in its early stages in Kazakhstan. Murzalinova-Yakovleva looks to Germany as a model for inclusion and remains hopeful about the future. The school’s mission is clear: to challenge outdated views and prove that diversity makes society both kinder and stronger.
Insight School is setting a new standard for education in Kazakhstan. By embracing inclusion, it offers children with varying needs a place to thrive. The school’s work could help reshape how the country views and supports diversity in learning.
