12-Year education must be compulsory for all, says minister

Armenia’s minister of education and science announced on Monday a plan for switchover to the 12-year compulsory education system.

At a news conference devoted to the 100th day of his re-appointment, Armen Ashotyan said that a relevant bill has been already put on the National Assembly’s agenda to be considered in detail.

Referring to the past statistics, the minister noted that 4,000-5,000 young people annually dropped out of school in the country after completing the nine-year basic education.

“We all know that a citizen with such a qualification will have difficulty on the job market in future,” Ashotyan said.

He further unveiled a plan for launching a credit system in high schools, noting that the method has already proved its efficiency at institutions of higher learning.

Ashotyan also spoke of a new loan project, noting that their next reform will focus on the re-equipment of high schools.

“Some 17-20 schools will be thoroughly repaired,” the minister said, adding that their selection will be based on a professional evaluation of school buildings, and geographic balance (to have at least one school repaired in each region of Armenia).

Ashotyan added that the loan program also envisages supplying universities with modern laboratory equipment.

The minister said that they have are planning to develop a joint project with the Ministry of Defense and the volunteer union Yerkrapah (defender of land) in an effort to elaborate a concept aimed to promote the younger generation’s patriotic upbringing.