There are 790 non-formal educational establishments in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Subsidized by the government, these institutions provide opportunities for children to become involved in various extracurricular activities such as drama studios, as well as clubs for young mathematicians, chess players and physicists. Stations for Young Naturalists, Technicians and Tourists provide 47 facilities for students to develop techniques of working with various instruments, camping and preserving and learning about nature. In addition, as many as 531 schools offer classes in music, fine arts, dance and sports (BESA 2010).
As for the system of non-formal vocational training (which includes re-training and professional development), its role has significantly increased since the 1990s. Presently, non-formal TVET consists of specialized institutions of supplementary vocational education (Training Employment Centres, commercial educational institutions, specialized schools, courses, etc.). The system also includes institutions of sectoral and in-company training (sectoral training centres, study centres, professional development courses, etc.). Given the increased competition of educational services providers, particularly in urban centres, tuition fees in popular occupations (various trades and service sectors as well as IT courses) are gradually becoming more affordable for the less-privileged (ETF 2007).
Due to financial problems, the state-run non-formal education establishments began charging parents for the use of the materials and facilities, making these institutions unavailable to the poor families. The private system of non-formal education is in the initial stage of development (State University n.d.). The most pressing challenge of the non-formal education sector thus remains the limited access to these programmes for low-income rural residents – the section of the population that is often said to most benefit from non-formal and informal education services (UNESCO 2008).
