Problems of teaching Abai's creative heritage at schools

Abai Kunanbayev is a great personality recognized all over the world. The uniqueness of Abai is in its universalism and spiritual versatility. Abai created 170 poems and 56 translations, wrote poems, "Words of edification" ("Kara sozder" 45). Poets and scientists of the East who adhered to humanistic ideas (Firdousi, Alisher Navoi, Nizami, Fuzuli, Ibn Sina and others), as well as works of Russian classics, and through them European literature, influenced the formation of Abai's worldview. Abai found his vocation in introducing his people to the achievements of western culture.

In 1932, for the first time Kazakh literature became a separate discipline and the program included Abai's works. In 1932-1933 the first works of Abai were taught at the seven-year school of factory and collective farm youth. In the following years 1934, 1938, 1941, 1947, 1951, 1958, 1961-1970, 1971-1972, 1981-1982, 1989-90 the program for teaching Kazakh literature to Abai's work was constantly updated and improved. Basically, in the Soviet school, his poems devoted to the seasons, science-education, and art were regularly taught from Abai's works. During the Soviet period, only poems from Abai's work were selected in these programs. He himself was interpreted in accordance with socialist interests. In the 1930 aitys around Abai's legacy, the influence of socialism prevailed, and knowledge in the "literary circle" was reflected in school curricula. During the Soviet period, Abai's religious and philosophical works were not taught at all. And some words on the topic of science-education are borrowed only in high school. In the middle classes, the "Thirty-first Word of Edification" was first presented in the draft program of 1997. At the same time, that until now the problem of representing the golden core of Abai's creativity, grouping Abai's works according to the ideological and substantive meaning, remains imperfect [1, p.85].

The course "Abai studies", founded by M. Auezov, has been taught for more than 80 years by students mastering philological specialties. M. Auezov for the first time in 1942-1943 opened a special course in Abai studies at the Kazakh Philological Faculty of Al-Farabi Kazakh State University.

But in the Soviet era, they did not study and did not teach at their level. The proof of this is that M. Auezov presented the program of the course "Abai studies" in 1951, but due to political pressure at that time, those enrolled in the course program were specifically canceled.

Has this gap in the curricula been corrected and replaced after independence? In order to make sure that the "New Generation" project was developed in 1997, which was based on Abai's works in the program used until 2013:

As it is already noticeable, a lot of attention was paid to Abai's works and his works on each topic were included. And also, when grouping Abai's works by classes, certain positions, thematic and ideological content were not taken into account, but there were some materials in the content. The program from grades 5 to 11 includes 19 poems,1 poem, 6 translations, 7 words of edification.

Let's pay attention to the textbooks "Literary reading", "Kazakh literature" in grades 2-11 of secondary schools:

To date, only one work dedicated to Abai (the novel "Abai zholy") and 7 own words of edification, 12 poems are taught at schools.

Unfortunately, in the updated content programs that are taught today, Abai's legacy did not reach the degree of his teaching back in the Soviet period. According to the program, students first get acquainted with the heritage of Abai in the sixth grade, before that, in primary school textbooks, there are only a brief biography and 1 line of poems. Thus, in secondary schools, Abai's themes cover only 9 poems, 6 words of edification and one poem.

To date, the subject of "Abai studies" is not taught in all schools. Despite the fact that, in accordance with the updated content, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Al-Nair publishing house have developed textbooks and anthologies on the subject of "Abai studies" for grades 5-11, methodological guidelines for teachers, which are planned to be put into effect from the 2022-2023 academic year as the main subject.

Until one general program, one printed textbook is assigned and launched, everyone will continue to study independently.

Our pedagogical and civic task is to present the great classic Kazakh poet, our great nation, to realize that every word has no weight if it has no value and nobility, despite the fact that it has been preserved for a thousand years. Therefore, the training of Abai's work should be adjusted, starting from the school.