Education is very important

Asylbek Kozhakhmetov, president of AlmaU, shared his views on the philosophy of nomads and how kazakhstani education should be.

The topic of nomads and nomadism fascinates me a lot. Nomads are a minuscule proportion of the world's population, but they occupied one-ninth of it! It was possible due to their nomadic lifestyle. They lived in one place in winter and in another in summer. Moreover, Genghis Khan's European campaign was a good defence for our ancestors. The main part of his army were Kipchaks, proto-Kazakhs. And, accordingly, while they participated in this campaign, no one even thought to poke into their territory.

One of the main attributes of a nomad is mobility. And I feel like a nomad in this regard too: I love driving long distances in a car, for example to Lake Issyk-Kul. But always in a jeep, to sit high up! In fact, this has always been the case: once a Kazakh has jumped on a horse, he already feels different.

I have heard the opinion that Kazakhs have developed tribalism. It is not so. The division into zhuzes and clans, on the contrary, unites rather than divides. All Kazakhs are kinsmen. Why has there never been stealing in the steppe? Because no one will steal from a relative! That is why I think that the division into zhuzes is something that should be used in public policy!

Every Kazakh is obliged to know his lineage up to the seventh tribe. It is a historical tradition, as you cannot marry a relative up to the seventh tribe. Also, it helps to find one's own. Personally, I look for my own in any city in our country. Nomads are a priori friendly people. If a nomad is aggressive, he simply will not survive. Another positive quality of a nomad is his love for nature. Because he depends on nature. Culture and education should be at the heart of public policy. Education is not like gaining a profession, but like education. A strong education means a strong economy. Not the other way round! We have been able to build a market economy on oil money, but education and culture are lacking. And an uneducated but uneducated person is a woe to the country.

A great example of how important parenting is – Alikhan Bukeykhanov. He always said that the work for the country had to be built on culture, and he followed these principles. In September, we opened Zeynep College in the village of Lobanovo in northern Kazakhstan. I believe that we have a lot of talent both in the villages and in the cities. It's just harder for people from the countryside to get through. Another problem is the lack of teachers. And it's not because they are underpaid – they lack respect. When a teacher is the most respected person in society, then young people will enter this profession.

Author: Igor Toporkov

Photo: AlmaU