What a self-regulatory organisation is, and why preschool education needs one
Self-regulation is an approach in which an industry adopts standards above the statutory minimum voluntarily, and holds its own members to them. The Asyl Urpaq concept is built on that principle.
A self-regulatory organisation (SRO) is a non-profit body established in one of the legal forms set out in Kazakhstani law — an association (union), a public association or another form. It brings together, on the basis of voluntary or mandatory membership, businesses or professionals operating in a single sector, activity or market who share a common interest.
Kazakhstani law provides for two kinds of self-regulation. Self-regulation based on voluntary membership operates alongside state regulation and sets requirements higher than those in legislation. Self-regulation based on mandatory membership can be introduced only by statute. No law makes membership mandatory in preschool education, so membership of Asyl Urpaq is a voluntary choice.
Why does this matter? A licence is the minimum threshold set by the state: it secures safety and sanitary compliance, but it does not guarantee quality. Self-regulation works above that threshold — the sector sets its own professional standard, verifies compliance with it, and takes collective responsibility for the result.
According to the concept, the work of the Asyl Urpaq association follows exactly this logic: developing rules and standards for members, agreeing them with the authorised state body, monitoring members’ compliance, and representing the sector’s interests before state bodies.
