«Great Teacher – Ayagoz District Traditional Physics and Mathematics Olympiad named after Zhenis Omirbekuly»

On October 23-24, 2024, the VI Ayagoz District Traditional Physics and Mathematics Olympiad named after Zhenis Omirbekuly was held at the O. Menayakuly Comprehensive Secondary School in Barshatas village, Ayagoz district, Abay region.

Deceased Zhenis Omirbekuly, who was born in Shubartau district and graduated from this school, was a candidate of physical and mathematical sciences, associate professor, graduate of the Moscow Power Engineering Institute, and a scientist and teacher who dedicated his life to teaching at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. In 2016, the Faculty of Physics and Technology at KazNU named after Al-Farabi opened a laboratory named after J. Omirbekuly, and in 2019, a mathematics classroom was opened at the school named after O. Menayakuly.

The event was attended by Zhanibek Baitulenov, a senior lecturer in the Mechanics and Mathematics Faculty of the Department of Computational Sciences and Statistics at KazNU, as well as other scientists. Through the initiative of KazNU teachers, the support of the teaching staff at KSU named after O. Menayakuly, and with financial support from school graduate Sayat Omirbekov, the Ayagoz District Physics and Mathematics Olympiad has been held in Shubartau district since 2017.

In 2018, the Physics and Technology and Mechanics and Mathematics Faculties of KazNU signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the General Education Secondary School named after O. Menayakuly, and since then they have maintained active collaboration. During this time, the Olympiad has gained recognition for its high level of organization and objectivity. The tasks for participants are developed at KazNU and the event is conducted under the supervision of scientists and teachers. Within the framework of the Memorandum, university teachers also conduct lectures for district school teachers of physics and mathematics and award attendees advanced training certificates from KazNU.

The Olympiad is held among students in grades 9–11, and winners receive invitations to the Republican Olympiad named after J. Omirbekuly. The grand opening began with welcoming remarks from labor veterans, village elders, teachers, and scientists, followed by a concert by schoolchildren.

On behalf of KazNU and KSU Comprehensive Secondary School named after O. Menayakuly, winners were awarded diplomas, and active participants received letters of appreciation. The awards were distributed as follows: 9 participants who took third place received 20,000 tenge each; 6 participants who took second place received 30,000 tenge each; and 3 participants who won first place received 60,000 tenge each. The teachers of the three first-place students were also presented with letters of gratitude and prizes of 20,000 tenge each.

Holding this Olympiad contributes to the implementation of several Sustainable Development Goals approved by the UN. Primarily, it aligns with Goal 4 – "Quality Education": the event aims to improve students’ knowledge in the exact sciences, enhance their academic motivation, and foster a desire for further development. The event also supports Goal 17 – "Partnerships for the Goals," as it is conducted through cooperation between the university and the local school, fostering strong educational ties between the academic community and the school.