MEASURING INDEX OF INCLUSION IN KAZAKHSTANI PRIVATE AND STATE SCHOOLS FOR FURTHER COMPARISON

Inclusive education is increasingly recognized as both a human right and a prerequisite for sustainable development. This article examines the implementation of inclusive education in Kazakhstan by comparing state and private schools through Booth and Ainscow’s Index of Inclusion. The study aims to identify barriers that prevent children with special educational needs (SEN) from fully participating in mainstream education. The analysis relies on national policies, official statistics, and secondary data from UNICEF, OECD, and Human Rights Watch. Although more than 3,200 schools were officially labelled “inclusive” by 2017, many SEN students remain in segregated classes, home-schooling, or special institutions. This reveals a policy–practice gap: reforms exist on paper but are inconsistently applied in classrooms. Findings show that state schools face limited resources, insufficient infrastructure, and inadequate teacher preparation, while private schools, despite greater capacity, often restrict access through selective admissions. The Index of Inclusion framework highlights how cultural stigma, structural barriers, and weak pedagogical practices converge to undermine genuine inclusion.