School innovation at the starting line

Last week, the EFCA team, together with the Coca-Cola Almaty Bottlers Company, conducted a survey tour of schools in the Arshaly region of the Akmola Oblast. The purpose of this trip was to visit rural schools in order to better understand the current situation of the material and technical base of rural schools, as well as the adjacent sports facilities.

19 (out of 28 active) schools of the district were selected; they offered 20 unique mini-projects, including such activities as ecotourism, scout camps, military sports training, various clubs, sporting events, and much more.

The survey tour showed that the current state of the schools in the Arshaly District left much to be desired. In most schools (up to 90%), there is no sports equipment, which is necessary for conducting full-fledged P.E. lessons. Many classrooms require foundational and cosmetic repairs. Playgrounds are often not fenced, are not covered, are in critical condition, or do not exist at all.

Despite the general impression of the examined schools, there are indeed rare oases of prosperity and ubiquitous equipment. "Our school was given a positive assessment regarding our education on sports and healthy lifestyles. But still the school has not fully implemented the state program for physical education and sports in connection with its lack of equipment for ski training and winter sports (hockey, speed skating),” says Vyacheslav School P.E. teacher, V. S. Savvatiev. “I think that thanks to our participation in the ‘3.2.1 .- START!’  competition/project among sports teachers in both our and other schools in Arshaly region, sports facilities will be enlarged, and children will be able to take advantage of their opportunities in new kinds of physical activity. I would like to sincerely express my deep gratitude to the Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia and the Coca-Cola of Almaty Bottlers Company for the training and for the future development of the infrastructure of sports facilities of educational institutions in the Arshaly District. "

The survey tour is one of the components of the EFCA "3.2.1. - START!” project, which is aimed both at improving the material and technical equipment of schools, and on improving the quality of school services in the field of sports in the countryside. The project is being implemented with the financial support of Coca-Cola Almaty Bottlers.