Patriotic education: varied responses

Patriotic education in schools implies a number of measures. A relevant manual has been compiled, but patriotic education classes are not expected to be introduced now.

“The guidelines contain instructions on organization of different events, means of achieving the aims and relevant literature,” Narine Hovhannisyan, Head of the General Education Department, Ministry of Education and Science, told Tert.am.

“Among the events are mostly our national and international holidays. The patriotic clubs are supposed to involve students in school events, inculcate them with tolerance, sense of unity and so on. Later, some manuals may be published, but no changes in the school curriculum are expected now,” she said.

As regards membership in patriotic clubs – whether it is voluntary or obligatory – Ms Hovhannisyan said that the issue is not on the agenda.

Patriotic education program also envisages different vivid means and events – from stories by participants in the Nagorno-Karabakh war of liberation to military training and games, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, Spokesman for Armenia’s Ministry of Defense, told Tert.am.

“It quite good if children learn about the Shushi operation during the lesson,” he said.

The creation of the Young Frontier Guard clubs evoked varied responses and even criticism in Armenia.

Human rights activist Avetik Ishkhanyan is sure that patriotic clubs in schools will soon turn school into “career centers.”

“Creating artificial clubs resembles the political instructors, clubs of pioneers and Young Communist League members in the Soviet period, where false values were disseminated. It will not produce any positive results. Rather, even the ‘best’ schools will turn into career centers. Active Young Communist League members would build their career and turn into most corrupt officials.”

Tigran Khzmalyan, a film director and an activist of Pre-parliament group, says he believes the move is an attempt to have party structures in secondary schools.

“This is a trend which is aimed at Russianizing or rather. Sovietizing Armenia; in order to accede to the [Eurasian] Customs Union, it is first of all necessary to train people’s brains. And they begin with the most unprotected ones,” he noted.

Asked whether he doesn’t think that military-patriotic education is a good value after all, Khzmalyan said he finds that everything depends on the general perceptions and desires.

“If our interests are identified with Russian-Turkish interests and we reject our real national values, which first of all require freedom and independence, is it possible at all to speak of military-patriotic activities?” he asked.

Commenting on the issue, David Sanasaryan of the opposition Heritage party said he doesn’t positively treat the initiative. The politician said he has no idea what mission those clubs will have in schools. “Their leadership is blatantly engaged in political games, so to what extent will they manage to distinguish their approaches not to conduct propaganda among the children?” he said, considering the idea unacceptable.

Khzmalyan said he doesn’t think that patriotism is something that should be taught separately from other disciplines. According to him, a well-arranged school curriculum were the Armenian language has its special place would be the right tool promoting a patriotic upbringing.