While discussions about the impact of artificial intelligence on the programming profession continue, there is a growing interest in quality technical education in Kyrgyzstan. This applies to both university students and schoolchildren who are just beginning their educational journey.
Yandex Kyrgyzstan has announced a new strategy for its social initiatives, which will allow parents and educators to learn that programming and modern technology education is available free of charge.
Tilek Suimanov, a representative of Yandex Kyrgyzstan, emphasized that the company aims to become a significant player in the local market. This implies not only paying taxes but also actively participating in the development of the country's technological environment.
“We see ourselves as a local company. Our goal is to develop services and provide society with real benefits from technology. By investing in education, we contribute to the overall market. The more qualified specialists there are in Kyrgyzstan, the faster the economy and technology will develop,” he noted.
For a long time, it was believed that quality IT courses are expensive. However, the Yandex Kyrgyzstan project offers an alternative, providing free programs in Bishkek through a Programming School specifically designed for teenagers.
Unlike many online courses, this school adheres to a classical approach to education. Classes are held offline at the capital's educational institutions. In the current academic year, 250 schoolchildren are studying Python — one of the most popular programming languages on which modern Big Data and artificial intelligence technologies are based.
“We are not preparing specialists only for ourselves. We believe that increasing the number of IT specialists contributes to competition and business development. Students have an excellent foundation for entering technical universities,” emphasized Maria Timofeeva, head of international social projects at Yandex.
Another pressing issue in the Kyrgyz educational sector is the generational gap: schoolchildren often understand technology better than their teachers. To bridge this gap, free professional development courses for computer science teachers have been launched.
This year, the program has become even more in demand. Teachers are now being trained not only in the basics of Python but also in working with neural networks. The goal is for teachers not only to be aware of new technologies but also to be able to effectively use them in teaching.
The demand for knowledge is high. More than 2,500 teachers from different parts of the country have already registered on the platform, and access to materials remains open, allowing them to join the courses at any time.
Useful links:
More information about enrollment in the Programming School for schoolchildren can be found here.
Teachers can register for the neural networks and Python course via the link.
