Parents of students at Pushkin School in Kaskelen, Almaty Region, have complained about cracks in the walls, dampness, mold and the smell of sewage. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
They fear that staying in the building is unsafe for children. The information was reported by KTK.
What is known about the school
The school has been operating for more than half a century. It currently teaches 1,100 children in two shifts. According to the parents, plaster is crumbling in the rooms, and the condition of the bathrooms is of particular concern.
Parents' complaints
"We adults are afraid to enter the school building. I'm not even talking about the children. What if the ceiling collapses on their heads. Have you seen the bathrooms? Everything is crumbling there. First-graders don't go to the toilet, they hold it in," said parent Zamira Kanagatova.
Violetta Tsoi, whose five children attend this school, described incidents involving students:
"The door jammed, and the child was locked in the toilet for a whole lesson. We had a case where a child broke an arm and broke a nose during physical education. He just tripped over a nail that was sticking out there. He tripped, fell, slid on his nose, so to speak, and broke his nose," she said.
The repair issue
Parents are asking officials to speed up the repairs. School director Kanat Kokanov also believes the building needs major repairs. According to him, the necessary documents were prepared last year, but funds have not yet been allocated.
"In 2025, we prepared the documents, including the design and estimate documentation. We submitted them to the regional education department. This year, funds should be allocated for major repairs. Then we will close the school for major repairs. And the children will temporarily study in another building," Kokanov said.
The education department said the project was transferred to the construction department. The timing for the start of repairs has not yet been announced.