Kazakh businessman Aidyn Rakhimbayev, founder of the construction holding BI Group, spoke on Instagram about the changes at the school in his native village of Kulyndzhon in the East Kazakhstan region. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
According to the billionaire, the educational institution that once stood half-empty now produces graduates who enroll at Nazarbayev University. A boarding facility and a sports complex have now been opened at the school. And there are no longer enough places for everyone who wants to attend.
Several years ago, the school in Kulyndzhon village in the Samara district underwent major renovations. However, the quality of education remained low: many classes lagged behind, and strong teachers were in short supply. That was when Rakhimbayev began searching for a new principal.
Aralbek Berikuly, who at the time was working as deputy chairman of the Republican Physics and Mathematics School (RFMS), agreed to head the school.
“It would seem, why leave a comfortable position and go to an aul? But he went to raise a small village school. That was the first time he surprised me,” the entrepreneur wrote.
According to Rakhimbayev, over three years the principal restructured the school’s operations, raised the level of teaching, and helped children improve their knowledge. Students who previously did not know English began enrolling at Nazarbayev University. The average score on the international English language exam IELTS reached 6.0.
When the contract ended, Berikuly decided to stay in the village. The entrepreneur quoted his words:
“You know, I decided to stay. Here teachers, parents, and most importantly, children believed in me. I cannot leave them.”
Over time, the formerly half-empty school began to lack places. According to Rakhimbayev, this prompted him, together with the akimat, to build a boarding facility and a sports complex at the school. Now gifted students from other districts and teachers can live there.
The entire aul was invited to the opening of the new buildings. Four hundred people gathered at one dastarkhan — children, parents, and teachers. The businessman also met with his fellow villagers and his former classmates.
“The school has again become the heart of the aul, a place where both children and adults are drawn,” Rakhimbayev wrote.
He dedicated the post to Teacher’s Day and thanked educators for their work.
Aidyn Rakhimbayev is the founder and majority shareholder of the construction holding BI Group. Forbes estimates his fortune at $1.1 billion and ranks him ninth on the list of the wealthiest Kazakh businessmen.
Earlier, Kursiv wrote that Aidyn and Anar Rakhimbayev joined the international Giving Pledge initiative and committed to directing more than half of their fortune to charity.