VIDEO: Homeroom Hours Are Not for Religious Sermons, Says Arayik Harutyunyan on Incident with Priest

Today, after a government meeting, Minister of Education and Science Arayik Harutyunyan addressed the teaching of Armenian Church History and the recent incident with a priest at the secondary school in Aigestan community of Ararat region during a press briefing with journalists.

Journalists asked the minister whether the subject would be removed from the curriculum, as the "spiritual shepherd" who raised the issue claimed that you said the teaching of Armenian Church History should be reconsidered.

"Cite where I said that; I will comment. I will not comment on what the spiritual shepherd said," Arayik Harutyunyan replied.

- Do you consider the teaching of Armenian Church History important?

- I value all Armenian studies subjects; it’s just that all Armenian studies subjects and other subjects will be revised. Overall, the curricula will be reviewed, and by 2023, we will have a completely new list of subjects.

- As the Minister of Education, do you not know what function a clergyman has in a school?

- Each school can determine what role a certain person has in their school. The question was directed to the principal. The discussion was about the presence of the priest during homeroom hours, which is a significant issue. Homeroom hours are intended for implementing an organizational program, not for conducting religious sermons.

- Have you had a dialogue with him; did you personally tell him to leave the school? He says that you told him that the school is a secular institution.

- There has been no such thing... Yes, I said that the school is a secular institution, but we ended our conversation with a handshake with Father David, and generally, you can gather information about that priest and find out what kind of person he is.

- Yesterday, you mentioned that those spreading false news on this topic would be held accountable.

- The talk is about the publications that I have now asked my lawyers to review. If there is defamation in them, and there is defamation, then we will apply to the relevant authorities.

- The priests are also expecting an apology from you.

- I am expecting that the priests who are not connected to this incident or conversation should apologize themselves, and I also conveyed that to the relevant authorities in Ejmiadzin yesterday.

- Do you admit that during the previous administrations, there was a significant allowance for the church to enter the army and schools?

- I admit that with the tolerance of the previous government in the Republic of Armenia, and to some extent, it also served their interests that certain groups did not respect the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Armenia. In the Republic of Armenia, everyone must respect the Constitution and laws.

Video by Aysor.am.