Kazakhstan: Two Young Leaders Promoting Economics Education

When Dinara Nariman and Tomiris Ospan returned from the International Final Round of the 2024 Economics Olympiad in Greece last September, bronze and silver medals in hand, they brought back more than just accolades – they returned with a vision to empower their fellow students in economics education.

"After returning from Greece, we were so inspired by the intellectual and social atmosphere, as well as the bagfuls of knowledge and experience we gained from participating, that we wanted to promote economics in our country and community, starting with our school," explains Dinara, co-founder of the Shoqan Economics Society at Shoqan Walikhanov School in Almaty. What began as a passion project quickly evolved into a thriving educational community of 62 students from grades 7-11. Assisted by their economics teacher, Chingiskhan Berdibekov, the society meets weekly, offering a comprehensive program that includes preparation for the Economics Olympiad, financial literacy education, and AP Economics tutoring. At the heart of this project is a regionalized edition of Common Sense Economics, available in English, Russian, Kazakh and 8 other languages. They also draw from our library of free videos and articles, available in the same languages here. 

For Dinara and Tomiris, success isn't just about winning competitions – it's about creating lasting change. "Before we leave for college next year, we will organize voting in our society to choose a president, and we will hopefully create a legacy in our school that will still be alive even after we graduate!" Dinara shares. This focus on sustainability sets their initiative apart, ensuring that they will pass on the benefits of their training in financial literacy and economics to the next generation of students. The society brings real-world expertise to the classroom through guest speakers like Erzhan Orynbekov, Director of the Trading Department at Freedom Finance Kazakhstan, who has introduced students to practical trading concepts and shares industry insights.

Looking ahead, Dinara and Tomiris have ambitious plans to expand their society's reach and prepare the next generation of Kazakh economists. Their goal: to see the members compete in the International Final Round of the 2025 Economics Olympiad and beyond, continuing the legacy they've begun. With the school round of this year’s competition, organized by our partner Narxoz University, just a month away, we eagerly anticipate seeing the fruits of their hard work.