Kazakhstan's Minister of Education Zholdas Suleimenova has clarified the ministry's position on teacher-parent communication in messengers after working hours. She stressed that the ministry does not seek to impose excessive restrictions but considers it necessary to establish clear rules of interaction based on mutual respect, reports infohub.kz.
In a published video address, the minister suggested that parents imagine themselves in the teacher's shoes, who spends about six teaching hours daily. According to her, a teacher works with several classes and interacts with hundreds of children, and during each lesson must be fully focused: explaining new material, working at the blackboard, answering questions, monitoring task completion, and maintaining discipline.
Suleimenova noted that with an average class size of 25 students, over six lessons a teacher directly works with about 150 children. Each one needs to be seen, heard, assessed, some need material re-explained, others supported, and some given additional tasks. After lessons, the workday doesn't end: notebooks and tests need to be checked, and preparation for the next day is required.
The minister emphasized that teachers have both working and personal time, and to be energetic and professional at work, they need time to recover. She also noted that the issue of parent chats is not a ban on communication but a manifestation of mutual respect. In case of urgent and important matters concerning a child, a teacher will always find a way to respond.
Suleimenova expressed confidence that the majority of parents will support the proposed regulation and stressed the importance of establishing clear rules for communication in parent chats.