Paper abstract:

This paper presents preliminary findings from an ongoing study examining the relationship between educational inequality and elite education, with a focus on the case of state-sponsored Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) in Kazakhstan. The study compares the academic outcomes and socioeconomic backgrounds of students attending Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) with those attending non-elite schools in Kazakhstan, using a sample of more than 19,000 Kazakhstani students who participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018, including about 2,500 students from NIS.

Preliminary analysis using mixed-effects regression modelling reveals significant differences in academic performance and access to educational opportunities between students attending NIS and non-elite schools. When considering the performance on the PISA 2018 mathematics, reading, and science assessments, we found that students attending NIS performed significantly better than their peers in non-elite schools. We also found that NIS students are generally from more affluent backgrounds and have access to better resources and support systems, indicating the presence of educational inequality within the Kazakhstan secondary education system.

Going forward, our study plans to conduct further analyses of the data, including statistical modeling to control for potential confounding variables and examining qualitative data to explore key factors that may be contributing to the disparities in educational outcomes between NIS and non-elite schools. These include differences in teacher quality, school resources, and funding models.

Our preliminary findings have important implications for policymakers seeking to promote educational equity and improve the quality of education in Kazakhstan. Specifically, our findings suggest that efforts should be made to ensure that the benefits of an elite education are accessible to a wider range of students.