Literacy was minimal among Kyrgyz nomads at the beginning of the 20th century—the literacy rate was 2.5% in 1924. In 1916 after an unsuccessful revolt against Tsarist authorities, most of the residents of Ysyk Kul, fleeing Russian troops, escaped to the Republic of China, Kasym and his parents were among them. They returned in December 1917. After a period of unsuccessfully attempting to get education in Karakol, he moved to Almaty, where education opportunities did exist. Through Almaty authorities he entered the Kazakh Institute of Education (Kazinpros) in Tashkent.