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A third-year student at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) from the Zhelezinsky District (Pavlodar Region) spoke about internet connectivity issues and the challenges of adapting to distance learning. Until September, the connection was unstable, requiring him to travel several kilometers to access data. The situation has since normalized, and his academic performance has not suffered.
The student also noted difficulties in obtaining certificates from KazNU and inadequate preparation by Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University (KazNPU) for enrolling first-year students: information on the university website was not working, and document submission requirements kept changing. However, faculty members quickly adapted to Zoom and Microsoft Teams, and there are no issues with feedback.
The pandemic and the subsequent quarantine introduced many people for the first time to the term "distance learning." People reacted to this necessary measure in different ways. Some were glad not to have to go to university, while others missed face-to-face communication during seminars. We spoke with a student from a village about studying, obtaining certificates, and internet access in rural areas.— I am a third-year student majoring in "World Economy" at Al-Farabi KazNU. Since last year, like all Kazakhstani students, I have been studying remotely. In fact, I was born in a village in the Zhelezinsky District, Pavlodar Region. It is here that I am also completing my distance education.On connection problems and adapting to online learning— There is no mobile coverage in our village at all, and there are even power outages. My connection was unstable until September of this year. I faced significant difficulties in March, April, and May.To connect to the internet, I had to drive my car several kilometers out of the village for each lesson, catch a mobile signal, and share my mobile data. This caused major difficulties: carrying a laptop and driving out every time. There was simply no internet. The situation has normalized now, but interruptions still occur.Speaking about academic performance, distance learning has not negatively affected me personally. Perceiving information in online mode turned out to be no less convenient and practical than in offline mode. I receive new information through various distance learning tools, and I am satisfied with this. I am at home, and I do not have to live in Almaty to study. In this regard, I see a plus in distance learning.On universities' readiness for distance learning— In September, I needed to obtain a certificate from my place of study, simply to prove that I am a student at my university. Since I come from a large family, such certificates are necessary for parents to receive pension payments. Obtaining this certificate caused me many problems. I had to make many calls and wait several days for the certificate to arrive by mail. Although the university website has an "Electronic Services" section where one can request a certificate from their place of study, the call center explained that this service was not working and that I should have done it in September, considering that the university has been operating in distance mode since March.The second problem was faced by my younger brother. He entered the first year at Abai KazNPU. The university was poorly prepared for the enrollment and organization of studies for first-year students. Secretaries either lacked sufficient information or provided misinformation. We were told that we had to submit my brother's documents in person in August.We bought plane tickets, but just a few days before departure, we were informed that the documents could be submitted through another person. This caused great surprise and indignation, as we have been in distance learning for a long time, yet prestigious universities still face such minor problems.On teachers and Zoom— I am pleased that university lecturers adapted to the distance learning mode quite easily and quickly. We rarely have problems with connection and feedback with lecturers. I think this is because we use various platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and others. There are no difficulties in this, except perhaps during the very first lessons.
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