On the internet resources of certain schools and the education department in the city of Stepnogorsk, Akmola Region, documents containing the personal data of 165 minors were discovered. Following the intervention of the prosecutor's office, the information was removed from public access, and the responsible officials were subjected to disciplinary action.
WHAT THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE FOUND
According to the prosecutor's office of the Akmola Region, the violations were identified during supervisory activities by the prosecutor's office of the city of Stepnogorsk.
Documents containing the personal data of 165 children had been published on the websites of certain schools and the education department. Their surnames, first names, information about their place of study and social status were in the public domain.
WHAT DATA WAS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
Among the minors whose data had been posted online were children from large and low-income families, as well as children under guardianship.
The prosecutor's office noted that the publication of such information created risks of its further dissemination.
WHAT MEASURES WERE TAKEN
Following an act of prosecutorial supervision, the identified violations were rectified.
The personal data of the minors was removed from public access. Furthermore, the responsible officials were subjected to disciplinary action.
The prosecutor's office stated that work to ensure the protection of children's rights and compliance with personal data legislation is under constant supervision of the oversight body.
CONTEXT
Similar cases have been recorded previously in Kazakhstan, including in the educational sector.
In the Abai Region, the prosecutor's office of the city of Kurchatov revealed the publication of personal data of 75 kindergarten employees through the public procurement portal. The employees' biographical data and their Individual Identification Numbers (IIN) ended up in the public domain.
A high-profile incident occurred at the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) as well. In April, it became known that internal reports containing personal and medical data of students were being circulated. The university launched an internal investigation.
In 2024, KazNU had already been at the centre of a scandal due to the online dissemination of so-called "virginity lists". As a result of that incident, some university employees were dismissed, and administrative liability measures were also applied.