Abstract
In the context of the transition to a knowledge economy and the increasing demands on the quality of human capital, the effectiveness of financing secondary education is becoming particularly relevant. The aim of the study is to assess the impact of financing mechanisms for secondary education on the quality of educational outcomes in Kazakhstan, considering infrastructural, human, and digital factors. The methodological basis of the research includes methods of descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, econometric modeling, and performance analysis. The empirical database is based on panel data for 17 regions of Kazakhstan for the period 2015–2025. The results of the study revealed a stable positive relationship between financing and the quality of education. Digitalization (β = 3.45) and infrastructure (β = 2.63) had the greatest impact, whereas the impact of financial expenses was more moderate (β = 1.92). The burden on teachers has a statistically significant negative impact (β = −1.08). The high coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.84) confirms the model’s significant explanatory power. The results of the DEA analysis demonstrate pronounced regional differentiation in efficiency, with Almaty (0.92) and Astana (0.90) occupying the leading positions, while the southern and western regions exhibit lower efficiency. The results show that financing is a necessary but insufficient condition for improving the quality of education. The research contributes to the development of the theory of educational financing by demonstrating the need to transition to an integrated resource management model focused on the effectiveness and quality of educational outcomes.