Zulfiya Movkebayeva

Nowadays, the modernization of the education system is the basis of dynamic sustainable economic development and citizens’ well-being. The key agent for the implementation of educational policy and the developer of the legal framework governing the functioning of the educational sphere is the state and its bodies. The Kazakhstani state policy’s main priorities in the field of education are formulated in several strategic documents. Using the review approach, this article examines the current state of public policy and legal regulation in Kazakhstan’s education sector. The article analyzes key documents that define the contours and content of the main directions of public policy and legal regulation. This article attempts to identify, review, and analyze the legal characteristics of the key process and factors existing in the legal field of Kazakhstani education, such as “Bologna factor,” “soviet legacy,” “provision of quality,” etc. The article concludes that the existing legal tools do not fully comply with law enforcement practice. The interpretations of some legal acts are somewhat different, which causes difficulties for actors providing educational services. Based on the result of the analysis, the article provides the main recommendations for improving legislation in education.

Acknowledgment
This article was written under grant from Kazakhstan Ministry of Education and Science No. АР05135081 “Student with disabilities and distance education learning environment: socio-practical and legal dimensions” coordinated by Prof. Dr Zulfiya Movkebayeva (Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University).

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
This study examines how survey-based endorsement of inclusive principles can be measured when highly approved items produce ceiling effects. It develops a compact formative instrument covering equal starting opportunities, civic interethnic inclusion, universal application of law, and social guarantees. The analysis uses unweighted data from a nationwide descriptive survey sample of 3,123 adults in Kazakhstan, collected through computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) from May 10 to June 5, 2025, across 17 regions and the three cities of republican significance with territorial stratification and quota controls. Soft endorsement reaches 95.4% for equal opportunities and 94.1% for civic interethnic inclusion, while 62.7% rate both core principles as mandatory. Four profiles distinguish dual mandatory, equal-opportunity-only, interethnic-inclusion-only, and no mandatory endorsement. Group differences are small, and the indices show weak but consistent positive associations with perceived institutional and socioeconomic cleavages. The instrument provides a compact baseline for monitoring the intensity and cross-domain consistency of normative endorsement. It measures declarative legitimating standards, not realized inclusion, discrimination, institutional effectiveness, or policy performance.

Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan under Scientific Program No. BR24993150, “Organisation of Psychological and Pedagogical Support for Pre-vocational Training of Students with Disabilities,” and Scientific Program No. BR24993269, “Evolution and Transformation of Value Orientations in Kazakhstani Society During the Independence Period.” The survey fieldwork, data preparation, and statistical analysis reported in this article were conducted and funded within Scientific Program No. BR24993269.