Kazakhstan science is thrown back to 1960s: Dariga Nazarbayeva

Majilis deputy Dariga Nazarbayeva is suggesting to create a new system of science management, Tengrinews.kz reports. "We have to admit that endless reforms in science have not yielded the expected result and have no logical ending. Once vast scientific potential of Kazakhstan has turned out to be lost in the transition period. The country is thrown back to the 1960s in terms of the number of scientists, in fact all there is about the science now is the financial base that supports it. In general, the values and terms characterizing the science are still far from the requirements of the innovative economy. Kazakhstan retains a low level of payment to scientists. Social guarantees in terms of employment, medical insurance and retirement financing are not fully ensured. Young people don't go into science these days," Nazarbayeva stated and suggested a way out. "The key to resolving the problems in science has to be in creation of a new system of science management, as well as forming a modern system of financing of scientific researches, combining state and private financing. The experience of the developed countries shows that this requires direct financial support of the state in combination with strong tax incentives and allowances for investments of private business into this sector (science). The problem is not new, it has been discussed for many years, maybe it is time to take decisive steps to change the situation?" Majilis deputy said. By Renat Tashkinbayev