Innovations in education: UNICEF presented its STEAM programmes in Turkestan

TURKESTAN, 17 May 2024 – The Turkestan Department of Education, the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan in partnership with the UNICEF Kazakhstan hosted the Republican conference "Innovations in Education: from Idea to Implementation" at the Turkestan Schoolchildren Palace. The conference convened key stakeholders to explore innovative strategies to leverage advancements in science and education for shaping the future of learning.

The conference aimed to address the evolving demands of the contemporary educational landscape by fostering creativity and utilizing cutting-edge pedagogical approaches. With a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) programs, the event sought to pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable education system in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 4. Turkestan became a host for this conference as the first region in Kazakhstan which opened a unique innovative UniSat educational hub with support of the UNICEF Kazakhstan at the Schoolchildren Palace.

"We are at a critical juncture in our educational journey, where innovation is not just desirable but imperative," remarked Indira Ikapova, Director of the Turkestan Schoolchildren’s Palace. "That’s why in 2022 our Schoolchildren Palace with support of our partners, UNICEF Kazakhstan and the Al Farabi Kazakh National University, opened a unique UniSat hub to enable the Turkestan students to attend STEM courses and obtain critical engineering skills. We strongly hope that this successful experience will be replicated in other regions and every child will get access to STEAM education”.

UNICEF partners presented their experiences in rolling out and sustaining STEAM programmes for girls in aero-space technologies and gamification.

The Kazakh-British Technical University (KBTU) represented by its GameLab spoke about gamification technologies in education and UNICEF – KBTU joint GameDev project which allowed girls to master video game development skills through gamifying educational content.

KazNU outlined its experience of partnering with UNICEF in promoting STEAM careers among girls through UniSat programme. The is a unique platform where female school students can acquire engineering skills, construct and launch their own nanosatellites.

Overall, since the beginning of UNICEF STEAM programs in Kazakhstan more than 3500 girls participated in the online trainings and more than 400 girls passed offline educational marathons.

"Innovation in education is paramount for realizing the aspirations outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals," said Ms. Laetitia Bazzi-Veil, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Kazakhstan. "UNICEF recognizes the transformative power of innovation in addressing the challenges faced by education systems worldwide and in ensuring inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all."

Ms. Bazzi-Veil also stressed that UniSat Hub in Turkestan serve as a center for innovation, learning, and community development, with a focus on empowering children and youth through education, technology, and creativity. “Turkestan sat an example for other regions to follow. Regional STEAM Hubs aim to cultivate creativity and innovation among children, and UNICEF is ready to facilitate further exchange between the regional authorities to harness the power of innovation by opening and sustaining such hubs”.

The conference concluded with a resounding call to action, urging stakeholders to commit to sustained efforts in advancing educational innovation and ensuring that every child has access to quality learning and skills development opportunities.