Education minister Ashotyan had a déjà vu by reading Mikheil Saakashvili’s speech

The draft that envisaged amendments to Armenia’s “Law on Language” and “Law on Public Education” has nothing to do with The Regent’s and Dilijan’s schools. Those schools were specific projects, Armenia’s Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan told a press conference today.

“The legislative package is not linked with whether or not to open Dilijan School or not to construct it. That law must exist,” said he.
Further Mr Ashotyan said that the Dilijan School will achieve its aim and will become and operating educational institution. As an example, he recalled the program of the Georgian Government to make English as the second foreign language in the country.

According to him, Georgia plans within 5 years to invite 10,000 native English speakers to teach English in the Georgian schools. Those teachers will come from US, Australia, New Zealand, Britain and other English-speaking countries.

“When I read the speech of their president, I realized that I am having a déjà vu, we were saying the same six months ago. We were saying that our society should be bilingual,” said Mr Ashotyan, adding that that program is already being implemented in Georgia. In his words, that is apparently an international trend.

Further he said he has decided to no longer comment on speculations that the opening of the process of foreign-language schools will be implemented at the expense of Armenian studies.

“Foreign ministry will no longer comment that issue,” said he.