Schools are the main springs for the education of the Kazakhs, ... in them is the future of the Kazakh people.

Y. Altynsarin

In the very center of the city of Kostanay there is one of the oldest schools in Kazakhstan, born in the steppe at the cost of huge efforts of an amazing man, a patriot of his land - Ybyrai Altynsarin.

At one time, the school played a significant role in the development of public education in the republic and the region. And it all started like this…

After the accession of Kazakhstan to Russia, a need arose for qualified Kazakh officials for the administrative apparatus of the Kazakh steppes. Therefore, schools began to open for the children of the Kazakh nobility. One of the first projects of the Russian-Kazakh school was presented by a well-known teacher - orientalist Grigoriev V.V. and carried out in the city of Troitsk by opening the first school in 1861. Thus, the first step was taken to create a Russian-Kazakh elementary school in Kazakhstan. In total, 4 schools were opened, but Grigoriev's project did not last long. Having received no financial support from the administration and having no teaching staff, schools endured a poor existence and, finally, closed. The same fate awaited the Troitsk Russian-Kazakh school. The further fate of the school was decided by Ybyrai Altynsarin. Being already an inspector of public schools in the Turgai region, Y. Altynsarin, first of all, develops a new education system for Kazakh children and decides on the transfer of the Troitsk School to the city of Kustanay. In 1879, when there was a question about the formation of the regional center of the city of Kustanay, at the same time the issue of building a stone building for a school was resolved. The construction of the school began in 1882, and in 1884 the Troitsk Russian-Kazakh school was transferred to Kustanay and became known as the “Kustanay two-class Russian-Kazakh school”.

Kustanay two-class Russian-Kazakh school

Thus, Y. Altynsarin gave a second birth to this school, invested in it all the best and progressive, and gave all his strength and knowledge. In 1896 “Turgayskaya Gazeta” wrote: “Together with the transition of the Troitsk-Kustanay school to a new, warm, spacious and bright building, a new and better setting of educational affairs is noticed in it, although the latter is explained by the fact that this school is under constant supervision and guidance on the part of the inspector of schools, who has his stay in Kustanay.

The fame of the school spread like a wide wave across the vast steppe.

In the first year, 35 children studied here, a year later there were already 55, because since 1885, in addition to Kazakh boys, the children of Russian settlers of Kustanay began to be included in the composition of the school's students. 3581 rubles were annually allocated for the maintenance of the school from the state treasury, and 850 rubles from public funds. The school building was built of solid red burnt bricks. It consisted of three classrooms, two bedrooms, a canteen, a hospital room, and a workshop. The school had two apartments for teachers, a bathhouse, a carriage house, a cellar, and a garden. Y. Altynsarin himself took part in laying the garden. For a long time, a garden of acacias, lilacs and young pines was the best garden in Kustanay!

For the first time at the school, Y. Altynsarin opened a library, a hospital, and personally recommended educational literature. The curricula was developed by him was incomparably wider and deeper than the curricula of ordinary elementary schools. To work at the school, Altynsarin invited young teachers who had graduated from the Kazan Teachers' Seminary. Among them: A. Kilyachkov, F. Sokolov. On the opening day of the school, Ybyrai Altynsarin himself conducted the first lesson. Head of the school F.D. Sokolov wrote in his letters: “He treated folk teachers strictly, demanded a careful attitude to work, and strictly persecuted non-executive ones. As he himself passionately loved teaching, he wanted to see the same in the teachers of his inspection. He was able to excite the teachers' zeal for academic work with his cordial conversations. In the eyes of society, he set us high, forced us to treat teachers with due respect, being proud of them in front of everyone as honest and useful workers.

Y. Altynsarin with students of the Kustanay two-class Russian-Kazakh school, 1889

In 1897, a pedagogical class was opened at the school, which was later transformed into two-year pedagogical courses with a boarding school. The courses were a teacher's school of a "simplified type", preparing teachers of elementary schools and rural schools. Outstanding people who became teachers came out of this pedagogical class: Mukhamedzhan Seralin, Spandiyar Kubeev, Beket Utetleuov.

In its original form, the school existed until the October Revolution, and since 1917 it was transformed into a Kazakh children's commune, first an elementary one, and then a seven-year one (since 1923). The civil war and crop failure in the region had a heavy impact on public education. Due to the illiteracy of the population and the increase in the number of orphans, the children of the Kazakh poor were accepted from the age of ten, lived in boarding schools on full state support.

In 1933, the school was named after Levon Mirzoyan, in honor of the political and statesman of Kazakhstan.

What time it was, we learned from the recollections of one of the graduates of 1937, Seraly Zhaketov: “11 boys arrived at the school from the orphanage, many from Turgai. Among them: Sagi Appazov, Seit Kaliev, Seitkasym Borankulov, Karim Istleuov, Seitkul Isaev and others (many died during the Great Patriotic War). It was a hard time, hunger. We ate only bread and tea three times a day. Mass arrests and repressions did not bypass our school either. Dosmagambet Kulshykov, the director of the school, Shayakhmet Sautbaev, a Russian language teacher, and Aubakir Doszhanov, a mathematics teacher, were declared “enemies of the people”. Especially warm memories were preserved of the educators S. Zhumashev, Zh. Yesmurzin, who became like relatives to us and at the same time demanded strict discipline from us.

Despite the enormous difficulties created by Stalin's time, the teachers remained faithful to their work and managed to educate wonderful people.

In 1931-1936, a regional police school was opened here.

In 1938, the school was transformed into a secondary school with a boarding school for 100 people and renamed after Zhambyl Zhabaev. In the difficult years of the Great Patriotic War, a vocational school was opened on its basis due to the need to train labor personnel. High school students helped adults with work at enterprises, went to the fields. The number of students and the number of teachers has increased significantly.

In 1943, the school building housed the educational building of the teacher's institute, opened in the region in 1939. The merit of the teachers of the war years, who brought up a generation of soldiers devoted to the country, true patriots, who made a worthy contribution to the victory in the Great Patriotic War, is enormous.

In the 50s, orphans and children from remote areas studied in the old building of the boarding school, and in the educational building there was a Kazakh secondary school №13 (№. 22), where city children studied. In 1960, a general education school was transformed into a Kazakh boarding school named after Ybyrai Altynsarin. After 5 years, secondary school №22 was merged with boarding school №1 with an incoming class. Since that time, the construction of a new educational building began, and the old school building was gradually destroyed, and in 1968, by decision of the Council of People's Deputies of the Working People, it was completely demolished.

Now a memorial museum has been built on this site, it was opened in 1991 on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ybyrai Altynsarin, one part of which is a copy of that school.

In 2000, Professor K.Kh. Zhakyp, a graduate of 1966, found a brick from the foundation of the old school, which is now stored in the memorial museum of Ybyrai Altynsarin.

During the existence of the school, many wonderful teachers worked in it. Shaikhin M., Ibraev D., Yeshimkhanov S., Zhaukin S., Kokzhanov B., Saduakasov K., Utinov R., Kupeshev B. Hundreds of students remember teachers such as Shaykhimova M.Sh.- honored teacher of the Kazakh SSR, Sharipova M.S., Basharina Z., Doskaliyeva G.D., Khakimova K.Zh., Zhokusheva Sh., Davydova A.A., Rybalova P., Zhakupova L.K., Khusainova Z .Kh., Shakirova K.Sh., Ospanova A.G., Zhumabaeva A.Zh. and many others, made a great contribution for the development of the school.

The staff of the boarding school named after Y. Altynsarin 1961.

With the strength and perseverance of the organizer Dzhunaeva Vera Makhmutovna and history teacher Kakimzhanova Kabira, a museum was opened at the school, which collected a lot of material about the culture and life of the Kazakh people, about the life of the school, about Ybyrai Altynsarin. Meetings with school graduates and relatives of Ybyrai have become a tradition in the museum.

Granddaughter of Ybyrai Altynsarin Nagima Ybyraeva at a meeting with school students, 1984

Many well-known figures of science and culture in Kazakhstan and abroad, excellent workers awarded with high government awards, there are Heroes of Socialist labor among them graduated the boarding school named after Ybyrai Altynsarin:

• Alibi Dzhangildin - a prominent public and statesman;
• Spandiyar Kubeev - writer, honored teacher of Kazakhstan;
• Mukhamedzhan Seralin - writer, poet, journalist, first editor of the magazine "Айқап";
• Beket Utetleuov - educator, teacher, poet, translator;
• Seraly Kozhamkulov - People's Artist of the Kazakh SSR, laureate of the State Prizes of the USSR and Kazakh SSR;
• Elubay Umurzakov - People's Artist of the Kazakh SSR;
• Ilyas Omarov - writer, critic, statesman;
• Temir Darkhanbav - Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Honored Worker of Science of the Kazakh SSR;
• Laik Baidildinov – Doctor of Philosophy, Professor, Academician of Political and Social Sciences;
• Amir Kanapin – Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor;
• Bizada Zhiengazina – Hero of Social Work, Honored signalman of Kazakhstan, the best postman of the Ministry of Communications of the USSR;
• Zhangeldy Otarbayev – Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor.

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated February 11, 1971, the boarding school named after Y. Altynsarin was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor for the successes achieved in teaching children.

Boarding school for gifted children named after Ybyrai Altynsarin 2011.

The school today consists of large, bright, cozy classrooms and gyms. It is located in three bright, spacious buildings - two dormitories and one academic building. In 1992, the school was reorganized into the Y.Altynsarin Pedagogical Lyceum. And since 2000 , a boarding school for gifted children named after Ybyrai Altynsarin . There are 520 students studying here. Testing is conducted annually for a new set of students from the 5th grade. Director of the school Zharkenov K.Zh. – "Honored teacher of the school" was awarded the medal named after Y. Altynsarin. The school employs 43 teachers and 20 educators. Among them are excellent teachers of education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kudebaeva G., Kairova S., Isetova R.

The school has created a folklore ensemble of folk instruments and a brass band. A long-standing tradition has been resumed - holding aitys, which are led by the People's Akyn of the Republic of Kazakhstan Asiya Berkenova.

The history of the school is an example of the realization of the dream of an outstanding educator, teacher Ybyrai Altynsarin. Being a source of national personnel, the school has witnessed many transformations and is now a continuation of the wonderful traditions of the great Teacher.

Compiled by: Zhurkabaeva G.S.