Having visited Kazakhstan and interviewed those involved, I am proud to be associated with the educational work that is going on in this welcoming country.

Of the 36 teachers from the UK, Republic of Ireland, US and New Zealand who were hired last year to work in the Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools for the first year of this project, 35 have renewed their contracts for the coming year. I think that says something good about the project, government, country and people.

I toured schools in Kazakhstan and met children and Western and Kazakh teachers who were ambitious for their future. They were happy, welcoming, open, proud and excited about the future of their country, and clearly felt engaged in it. We should applaud Kazakhstan for its desire to improve its education system, and for taking broad and measurable actions to improve it. I, for one, am honoured to be a part of it.

Diane Jacoutot, General manager, Teachanywhere, via the TES website.