Teachers in Kazakhstan are demanding the resignation of Deputy Irina Smirnova, accusing her of derogatory remarks about the low qualifications of most educators. How Russians influence HIV statistics in the country, the cost of jackets worn by the akim of Pavlodar region, the harm caused by Turkish series, and what measures the government plans to take regarding installment purchases — all this is covered in the new review of the Kazakh-language press by Nazira Darimbet.
Deputy Called to Resign
Educators expressed dissatisfaction with the statements made by Deputy Irina Smirnova, who claimed that more than half of teachers have low qualifications. Educator Saniya Nusipali stated that such words are false and require a response:
“Deputies like her only spread gossip and belittle the work of teachers. We must act – sue her for unproven defamation! She questions the entire education sector, insults universities, and blames teachers for the problems in the system,” she emphasized.
Her colleague Mira Barkazatkyzy questioned the deputy's qualifications:
“How did she assess the knowledge of teachers? The claim that ‘a teacher knows nothing’ is absurd. PISA studies show that student knowledge levels were better before 2012 and then declined. This indicates that the education system needs improvement,” she added.
In her opinion, the responsibility for the lack of knowledge lies with the education system, not the teachers:
“If teachers know but cannot convey skills, it is a result of systemic problems. Blaming teachers for ‘incompetence’ is the easiest way out,” she noted.
Mira also criticized the “Target School” project: “Teachers underwent training, but the testing did not reflect the actual level of knowledge. How can we adequately assess teachers using such inadequate methods?”
Deputy Smirnova previously stated that 56% of school teachers failed to pass testing in their subject.
Russian Citizens Make Up a Third of New HIV Cases in Kazakhstan
In the last three years, 30% of new HIV cases among foreigners in Kazakhstan have been registered among Russian citizens, reports the Nege.kz portal.
The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan confirms that from 2022 to 2025, the number of new HIV cases in the country is decreasing. In 2025, 3,089 cases were registered in the first ten months.
The data by year is as follows: 2022 — 3,877 cases, 2023 — 3,862 cases, 2024 — 3,811 cases. As of the beginning of 2025, 35,000 people with an HIV diagnosis have been registered in Kazakhstan. It is estimated that there are about 43,000 carriers of the virus in the country.
Among foreigners, HIV is rarely encountered. In 2023, among 50,700 migrants, 182 cases were identified (0.39%), in 2024 — 192 cases (0.39%), and in the first ten months of 2025 — 169 cases (0.30%). Of these, 30% are Russian citizens.
All foreigners in Kazakhstan for more than 90 days are required to undergo medical examinations, including an HIV test, which helps prevent the spread of the infection.
Installment Purchases Under State Control
Starting next year, the government of Kazakhstan plans to take active measures against installment purchases, which officials believe contribute to the growing debt burden on the population and inflation. Authors of the t-channel DALA INSIDE report on new strict rules in this sector.
Last week, the International Monetary Fund completed a special mission in Kazakhstan and recommended tightening the credit market. The consumer loan market will be subject to strict control.
As of October this year, new rules regarding installments have come into effect. Sellers are now required to indicate two prices — for one-time payment and for installments. This will allow buyers to understand the real cost of goods.
If goods are sold through marketplaces, the installment is provided by the bank based on a credit agreement, meaning that the new rules apply only to sales by the sellers themselves.
The state also requires that information about installments be transmitted to credit bureaus, equating them to loans. This will complicate obtaining new loans for citizens with existing installments.
According to government plans, by 2026, the number of loans and installments should decrease, which should lead to a reduction in the number of debtors and improve the economic situation.
Currently, about 5 million Kazakhs have installments, and more than 500,000 people have loans overdue by more than 90 days. The reasons why Kazakhs take even basic products on installments remain overlooked by the authorities.
Akim's Jacket Costs 1.4 Million Tenge
Social media has reported that the akim of Pavlodar region, Asain Baykhanov, was seen wearing expensive branded clothing. The portal Sn.kz reports that the coat he wore costs 2,115 euros (approximately 1,273,000 tenge), while the jacket costs 1,479,000 tenge.
Users in the comments began discussing this situation:
“Pavlodar residents, will you defend your akim like the residents of Kokshetau?” “Surely, you will say he also worked in business,” “But we know that all akims in Kazakhstan are dollar millionaires,” they wrote.
Nevertheless, many residents of the region defended their akim, stating that the main thing is his work:
“It doesn’t matter what he wears, the main thing is he solves our problems,” “He came from business, farmers earn well, why shouldn’t he wear expensive clothes?”
We remind you that Asain Baykhanov was appointed akim of Pavlodar region in December 2022 and previously held the positions of akim of the city of Pavlodar and deputy akim of the region.
Calls to Remove Turkish Series
The portal Abai.kz published an open letter from a member of the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan, Beisengazy Ulukbek, who expressed concern about the negative influence of Turkish series on Kazakh society.
“Dear Prime Minister! Turkish series have held an important place on Kazakh television for 15-20 years. They influence not only the screen but also the consciousness of viewers. Should we continue broadcasting them or is it better to remove them from the channels?” he asks.
Ulukbek believes that these series form incorrect attitudes among the youth:
“They depict a luxurious life, emotions, and behaviors that do not align with the traditional values of Kazakh society. Such plots can lead to infidelity and hypocrisy, which should not be the norm in our society,” he added.
Furthermore, the journalist points to the ideological aspect:
“These series emphasize the power of Turkey and its culture. We, without filtering, broadcast this to our audience, which represents an information export, and this is a significant mistake,” he concludes.
If Turkish series are more popular, it is necessary to create quality Kazakh content that aligns with our values.
