DIGITAL LITERACY LEVELS IN KAZAKHSTAN: THE CASE OF ASTANA AND AKMOLA REGION

Abstract

In the modern world, digital literacy acquires not only an educational meaning but also affects the development of the state and the economic well-being of the population. Scholars and researchers internationally have sufficiently studied the problems of digital literacy, but there is a paucity of empirical research in Kazakhstan. This study aims to partially fill this gap by examining the aspects of digital literacy pertinent to Kazakhstan and evaluating the accuracy of official data. Despite significant government initiatives aimed at enhancing digital literacy levels across Kazakhstan, doubts regarding the effectiveness of these programs have emerged, primarily due to questions surrounding the reliability of the official data. This research will critically examine these initiatives, investigating their impact. The quantitative research is based on data obtained from a survey of residents of Astana and the Akmola region. The questionnaire is based on the UNESCO Institute for Statistics’ Digital Literacy Global Framework competencies. Our findings suggest that age, type of settlement, and ICT possession are statistically significant factors in digital literacy levels. Moreover, individuals with higher digital literacy skills are indeed more likely to use or benefit from digitalized government services. The average digital literacy level is 61%, and the middle-aged and senior groups were the ones who scored the lowest. The findings should make an important contribution to conducting further research on digital literacy and digital competence of the entire population of Kazakhstan. The study introduces key factors of insufficient digital literacy levels of Kazakhstan’s residents along with recommendations for improving them in present-day realities.