It is fitting that a school desiring to build multi-talented and strong citizens would be named after a renaissance figure like Shoqan Walikhanov. Born in 1835, Shoqan grew up the son of a well-respected local official in the Russian Empire before attending military school and venturing out to travel all around Central Asia and Russia. Along the way, Walikhanov read Kazakh, Russian and English literature and established his acquaintance with famed Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. In 1857, Walikhanov was elected to the Russian Geographical Society completing works that have gained international renown. Unfortunately, Shoqan’s life was cut tragically short by tuberculosis in 1865 at the age of 29. Although brief, his life was filled with great accomplishments that have inspired generations of Kazakhs. Perhaps the words of Russian archeologist and orientalist Nikolay Veselovsky ring most true about the great man: “he was a meteor flashing across the field of oriental studies."

The school that bears Walikhanov’s name is divided into two divisions, a primary school opened in 2020 dedicated to students from first through sixth grade and a secondary school opened in 2023 for students from 7th through 11th grade. The school’s physical layout is designed to create a comfortable space to maximize both academic and social learning. As the first LEED certified school in the Commonwealth of Independent States, Shoqan Walinkkhanov’s spaces include a Green Zone relax and study area with a view of the majestic Alatau mountain range. Building on the school’s ecological theme, students chose a symbolic casual green polo shirt school uniform from a variety of options they were given.

The school’s enrollment is currently 941, but it’s rapidly on its way to enrolling its maximum capacity of 1300. The high school principal, Bahadir Rismetov, told Edustan that the school has a competitive admissions process based on an entrance test that assesses students’ math, English, Russian and Kazakh language skills. Rismetov said that the overall acceptance rate is 10%, ensuring that students gaining admission are some of the brightest and most motivated in Kazakhstan.

Once enrolled, high school students are offered a range of courses, including College Board Advanced Placement classes starting in ninth grade with AP Geography and World History and extending into tenth grade with AP Calculus and AP Art & Design. Rismetov said that these programs help students who are aiming to go to university in the United States. In addition, the school hosts a Shoqan Ecology Forum every year for participants from around the world. School administrators consider applications from both private and state schools for the forum, choosing projects that score highly in academic honesty and transparency. “The most important thing is we give our participants the chance to show their work publicly,” Rismetov said.

Teachers at Shoqan Walikhanov School are both locally and foreign trained and teach classes with an average of 20 students. The school also invites international experts to consult on programs as well as teach courses. For example, this year, Robert Wren Gordon, a consultant with CM Luminary Ltd., visited the school in April to work with guidance counselors on strategies to help Shoqan students gain admission to university abroad. The school also partners with MIT-Eurasia, inviting MIT students to Almaty to increase their knowledge of Central Asian traditions and culture. This year, two students from MIT joined the Shoqan School for the month of January, assisting in the teaching of Chemistry and Information Technology.

The learning at Shoqan Walikhanov does not end with the traditional “final bell” in June since the school offers summer programs for its students. This year, students from Grades one through six are encouraged to apply to a program that will include, English lessons, robotics courses, art clubs and physics for kids. There are also opportunities for secondary students to study abroad for the summer. This summer Shoqan will send a select number of 10th grade students to Harvard and two to Brown.

The school also includes several creatively designed spaces to facilitate student learning and engagement. The library is shaped like a traditional Central Asian yurt and, according to Rismetov, “Probably the largest school library in the region.” The auditorium resembles a theater in the round with a rotating platform in the middle ideal for Ted Talks and visits from famous Kazakhs citizens. For example, in September 2023 boxing legend Gennady Golovkin visited the Shoqan School giving valuable lessons regarding “the importance of determination and dedication to achieve success in sport and in life.” In addition, the school also houses an impressive dance choreography hall for all ages and a large martial arts room for judo and karate training.

The school’s website promotes 12 reasons to join Shoqan Walikhanov, including “A team of the best teachers in Almaty,” “Compulsory lessons of choreography, speed reading, Kazakh and European etiquette,” “Advanced study of mathematics, Kazakh and English languages,” and “Involvement of experienced foreign specialists in educational and administrative activities.”