Public spending on education is more than a line item in the national budget — it reflects a country’s vision for its future. In 2024 Kazakhstan’s education institutions earned nearly 6.3 trillion tenge and spent around 6.1 trillion tenge. Behind these numbers are millions of students, thousands of teachers, aging buildings, digital gaps, and growing expectations.
By analyzing this financial data, we can better understand where Kazakhstan is heading in terms of human capital, policy priorities, and investment strategy.
According to official data, total income across all education institutions was 6,294.9 billion tenge, while expenditures stood at 6,081.5 billion tenge. That suggests a modest budget surplus.
But dig deeper, and one issue becomes clear: 73.5% of all spending goes to staff salaries and social benefits. This leaves less than 27% for innovation, digital tools, infrastructure, or educational content.
Personnel costs – 4.47 trillion tenge (73.5%)
Services and rentals – 644 billion tenge (10.6%)
Other expenses – 964 billion tenge (15.9%)
This structure ensures operational stability but limits flexibility and modernization.
The largest portion of education funding is still directed at primary and secondary education. In 2024:
• School revenues: 3.47 trillion tenge (55.1% of total education revenue)
• School expenditures: 3.43 trillion tenge (56.4% of total education spending)
By comparison:
• Pre-school education accounts for 14.0% of total revenue
• Higher education: 13.7%
• Technical and vocational education (TVET): 6.9%
This shows that Kazakhstan’s education system remains heavily focused on general schooling, while other levels receive relatively less attention.
Between 2022 and 2024 total revenues in the education sector grew by 37%, while expenditures rose by 32%.
Breakdown by level:
• Pre-school revenues: +52%, expenses: +50%
• Primary education revenues: +82%, expenses: +74%
• Higher education revenues: +43%, expenses: +20%
• TVET revenues: +44%, expenses: +43%
This suggests that the fastest expansion is taking place at the foundational levels of education, such as kindergartens and primary schools. Growth in higher education is slower — possibly signaling a lack of long-term strategy.
Kazakhstan is currently channeling most of its education spending into schools. That’s important — but the future will require a skilled workforce, digital tools, and flexible learning pathways. Now is the time to rebalance the system and invest strategically.
Education financing is more than just managing costs. It’s about shaping the kind of society Kazakhstan wants to be. Without clear planning, we risk funding the present while underpreparing for the future.