Over the past two decades, humanity has gone from paper textbooks and chalkboards to interactive platforms, virtual simulations and AI assistants. Education is no longer limited to the walls of a school or university — it has become ubiquitous, flexible and technological. At the center of these changes is digitalization, which has ceased to be a trend and has become a necessity.

For For the IT community of Kazakhstan, this process is not only a challenge, but also a tremendous opportunity. The opportunity to change the future of millions of students, create their own EdTech solutions, and even export knowledge as a new type of national capital.

Digitalization is not just about converting textbooks to PDF. This is a rethinking of the entire educational process using modern technologies.:

·        Interactive platforms and LMS (Learning Management Systems)

·        Artificial intelligence and machine learning

·        Big data analytics to assess progress

·        Gamification

·        Mobile apps and micro-courses

According to the OECD (2022) study, students using digital platforms with gamification elements demonstrate an average of 30% higher level of engagement than with traditional education. Gamification reduces the fear of mistakes and makes the learning process look like a game, which is especially important for elementary school students and teenagers.

"Students feel in control of the process, receive instant feedback and see progress — this is the key to sustainable motivation." — from the World Bank report EdTech Review

AI and analytics allow you to create a personal route for each student.:

· weak — repetition and explanation in simple language,

· Advanced — accelerated course and advanced assignments.

McKinsey Research (2021) in 8 countries showed that students working with With AI support, they improve results by 20-35% compared to conventional methods.

Digital platforms are removing barriers:

· a student in the village can receive the same course as at Nazarbayev University;

· Children with disabilities receive audio, video, and text support.

According to UNESCO, distance learning formats have helped save learning for 91% of students during COVID-19, representing hundreds of millions of children worldwide.

For parents and teachers, digitalization provides:

· Real-time monitoring;

· Academic performance forecast based on AI;

· identification of risks (for example, the threat of burnout or bullying).

For administrators — optimization of schedules, teacher workload, evaluation of program effectiveness.

We have implemented digital education since the 2000s. All schools use a single Wilma platform. The result: Students are on average 20% higher in international PISA tests.

Every student has a tablet, every teacher has access to The MyEdu AI platform. They spend $3 billion annually on training EdTech specialists.

Platforms like Squirrel AI teach millions of students in real time, adapting to their pace. The result: the export of educational platforms to other countries in Asia and Africa.

·        Platforms: Bilimland, Daryn.online

·        State Control: E-learning system under the Ministry of Education

·        Startup Support: Astana Hub, TechOrda

·        Wide Internet access in schools (over 98%)

How can the IT community help?

1.     Develop local EdTech solutions:

o   Games and courses for children in Kazakh and Russian

o   AI assistants for schools

o   Knowledge and progress management systems

2.     Conduct hackathons and accelerators for students and teachers

3.     Openly cooperate with the government and universities (for example, within the framework of Astana Hub, Google for Education)

4.     Implement open-source approaches and share best practices

Digitalization of education is not just a buzzword, but a powerful tool for social justice, economic growth and technological progress. For For IT specialists, this is a chance not only to earn money, but also to leave a real impact on the generation of the future.

If we create a smart digital school today, tomorrow these children will create a smart digital country.