Nearly two years have passed since the demolition of the building on Saryarka Avenue, 48/1 in Astana, but construction of the new School-Lyceum No. 15 has yet to begin. Parents and activists believe the situation goes beyond a single school and reflects systemic problems in the safety and planning of educational facilities.
According to Ulysmedia.kz, the capital's education department stated that the former school building, which had stood for around 60 years, was deemed unsafe. The level of dilapidation was 70%, and it was no longer safe for students to remain there.
The demolition was carried out in the middle of the academic year, and 1,709 children were temporarily reassigned to other educational institutions — Lyceum No. 56 and the school for gifted children, «Zerde». Parents were told at the time that a new building would be constructed quickly.
Civil activist and parent of one of the students, Lyudmila Andreyeva, recorded an appeal to the President, requesting a personal meeting and a joint consultation on safety issues in the country's schools. In her view, the situation with Lyceum No. 15 is only part of a much larger problem.
"Nearly two years have passed since the School-Lyceum No. 15 was declared unsafe in January 2024. The building has been demolished, and the children have been moved from one old building to another similar one. The new building for Lyceum No. 15 is not being constructed. This is not a technical delay; it is the result of systemic inaction by state bodies, the education department, the akimat, and the construction department," Andreyeva stated.
In July of this year, the deputy head of Astana's construction department, Damir Abdulayev, reported that construction of the new school would begin in October. However, as parents note, in November the official announced a new timeline — tentatively the end of December or the beginning of January.
The design for the new school was developed by JeR Group on commission from the construction department. According to Andreyeva, it was obvious even at the design stage that a full-fledged school for 900, or even 500, students could not be built on the allocated plot, yet the project was still submitted for state expert review.
"At first glance, everything looks nice — the school, the trees, the playgrounds, the space. But if you look closely, it becomes clear that this is not a real project, but a fiction on paper," she says.
Andreyeva claims that the plan omits two blocks of the «Ayka» residential complex, which are located right next to the site.
"In their place, trees and green areas have been neatly drawn, as if there is a park there. Beyond that is supposedly the school grounds. In reality, it is a private residential area for the apartment blocks, where there will never be any sports facilities or a school yard," the statement says.
On the other side of the plot, the project marks an area as if it were a demolished private housing sector. However, according to the activist, not a single house has been demolished there in two years.
It is reported that one of the reasons for the rejection by the state expert review was the «Ayka» residential complex, built earlier with violations — without a fire service access road and partly on the former school grounds. According to the activist, the state expert review proposed reducing the school to 500 places in order to allocate land for a fire access road for the residential complex.
Some local residents suggest the vacant lot could be used for a new housing project. Others believe the authorities will cite a lack of funding to relocate the adjacent houses.
The children continue to study in other schools that are not within walking distance. Local authorities have organised two buses, but parents consider this insufficient. Andreyeva also points to problems in the building where the students were transferred.
"The children are forced to sit in stuffy classrooms during the heating season, in a building with no ventilation. I have appealed repeatedly to the Ministry of Education and the education department. Unfortunately, the situation is being completely ignored," the woman stated.
For his part, the head of Astana's education department, Kasymkhan Sengazyev, responded that the city has no other suitable premises.
On 26 November, several agencies, together with the construction department, visited the site. The commission conducted a visual inspection of the facades of the «Ayka» residential complex and identified problem areas. A full technical survey was promised for a later date.