In the context of the Republic of Kazakhstan's current educational policy, school textbooks serve not only as a source of knowledge but also as a key tool for constructing national identity. The relevance of this article stems from the need to analyze how images of historical figures are shaped in educational literature, influencing the historical memory and value orientations of young people in accordance with modern state educational development strategies.

The aim of this study is to identify and comparatively analyze narrative strategies for representing historical figures in Soviet and contemporary textbooks on the modern history of Kazakhstan. To achieve this goal, we quantified references to these figures, conducted a qualitative content analysis of texts and visuals, and compared textbook models from the Soviet and present periods.

The scientific novelty of this study lies in the application of an integrated approach combining a comparative historical method with digital data analysis technologies in the MAXQDA program.

The study's results demonstrate a shift in the representation of historical figures, moving from a previously dominant heroic approach to a more analytical one, focused on revealing the historical context and understanding the individual's contribution to the country's development. Modern textbooks offer a more pluralistic approach and include diverse sources of information, which facilitates a deeper understanding of historical processes and the role of great figures within them.