The Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Yeraly Tugzhanov, held a conference call on providing children from low-income families with school uniforms and supplies.

It should be reminded that the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Alikhan Smailov, instructed to take control of problematic issues related to the provision of school uniforms and supplies, as well as support for low-income families at the beginning of the school year.

The Deputy Prime Minister listened to the reports of the authorized bodies on the measures taken to prevent a speculative growth of prices of school supplies. Also the information of the Ministry of Education on rendering material aid to children from socially vulnerable groups at the expense of universal education fund was presented during the meeting.

It should be noted that the material assistance is provided annually to children from socially vulnerable groups of population in the framework of the program of universal compulsory secondary education. The financial means allocated for rendering assistance to pupils of certain categories are directed for purchase of clothes, footwear, textbooks, teaching aids, school accessories, organization of catering at the place of study, and rendering of financial assistance.

Thus, this year the regions are planning to support more than 475,000 students through the General Education Fund. The total amount of allocated funds is 49 billion tenge. To date, the provision of the material assistance has been carried out centrally by local executive bodies based on the results of public procurement.

Given the numerous appeals of parents, who receive assistance from the General Education Fund, on the quality and range of purchased goods, this year the mechanism for providing financial assistance by transferring money directly to the card accounts of parents has been changed. These changes are aimed at:

- ensuring that parents choose their own suppliers of clothing and school supplies;

- establishing an equal amount of funds for each child (unified principle);

- reducing the cost of school uniforms by increasing parents' ability to shop at various retail outlets;

- introducing a transparent mechanism for providing financial aid.

Also, Tugzhanov instructed to ensure uninterrupted operation of hotlines in educational organizations and to strengthen outreach work to attract people willing to help (volunteers, businessmen, patrons, NGOs, and others) to respond promptly to citizens.

Work in this direction is under constant Government control.