The New Academic Year Will Start on August 31

As the new academic year approaches, consultations for public educational institutions are ongoing in the regions of the republic, featuring participation from regional education officials and school directors. This was reported by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia (MoESCS).

The consultations are led by Deputy Minister of MoESCS, Zhanna Andreasian. Present at these meetings are representatives from the National Center for Educational Development and Innovations, the Republican Psychological and Pedagogical Support Center, and the MoESCS Department of General Education, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Health, who provided clarifications regarding pandemic regulations.

From August 24-26, consultations were held for the regions of Armavir, Ararat, Shirak, and Lori.

Ararat and Armavir: Schools Resilient Through War and Pandemic

During a meeting of public educational institutions from Armavir and Ararat held at the Komitas Palace of Culture in Ejmiadzin, Deputy Minister Zhanna Andreasian thanked school directors for successfully overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic and the 44-day war in Artsakh last academic year. “We have passed through the war and pandemic, and educational institutions bore the brunt of these negative influences. During this time, you not only organized the education of your students but also ensured the right to education for hundreds of children from Artsakh, which is very important and deserves appreciation,” she said.

Addressing the voluntary certification process for teachers, the deputy minister noted that preparatory work in this direction is underway. As for mandatory certification, training will be completed by the end of November, followed by the certification process.

Shirak: Good Admission Results Recorded

The consultation for the Shirak region took place at the Oyunjyan school-gymnasium in Gyumri. Deputy Minister Zhanna Andreasian pointed out that the Shirak region managed to ensure continuity of education despite the pandemic and war conditions last year. The deputy minister presented the regional statistics for university entrance exams in Shirak, highlighting that Shirak recorded quite good results. Of 1,159 applicants, 832 were admitted to universities. A significant percentage consists of those admitted with free applications. The most sought-after fields among applicants in the region are medical sciences, finance, translation studies, and law.

Greeting attendees and congratulating them on the new academic year, Shirak Governor Hovhannes Harutyunyan emphasized the importance of adhering to pandemic regulations in the educational process and the smooth organization of the academic activities.

Deputy Minister Zhanna Andreasian also announced that, in cooperation with the UN World Food Programme, all necessary materials and supplies will be provided to schools to make compliance with the rules easier and to ensure the economical use of the educational institutions’ resources.

Lori: Significant Efforts Required to Ensure Continuity of the Educational Process

The consultations for public educational institutions in Lori were held at the Charles Aznavour Cultural Palace in Vanadzor. Lori Vice Governor Gor Asryan conveyed congratulations from the regional leaders and himself to the representatives of the education sector on the occasion of the new academic year, wishing them a fruitful year and significant achievements in education. He also emphasized the necessity of implementing preventive measures associated with the pandemic, highlighting the importance of vaccinations.

Bishop Hovhannes Hakobyan, the head of the Gugark Diocese, sent his blessings to the attendees. “This year will also be challenging for us; we will again work under pandemic conditions, thus requiring significant efforts from all of us to ensure the continuity of the educational process,” Deputy Minister Andreasian noted in her welcoming speech.

Discussing the results of university entrance exams in the region, she reported that out of 1,047 applicants, 790 were admitted to universities (75.5 percent), with 17.8 percent being accepted with free applications, which is a quite high percentage. “This is also a result of your work, and I congratulate you on it,” the deputy minister added, specifying that the leading university for applicants in Lori is Yerevan State University, followed by Vanadzor State University and the branch of the Armenian State Pedagogical University in Vanadzor. The most sought-after fields among applicants in the region include English language and literature, medical sciences, psychology, programming, management, law, and social pedagogy.

Some subject exam results are concerning, according to the deputy minister, with low grades notably in mathematics, physics, and natural sciences.

Zhanna Andreasian informed that the new academic year will begin in a face-to-face format, with strict adherence to anti-pandemic rules. The school year for first-grade students will commence on August 31, aiming to reduce human congestion. Changes will be made concerning the operation of cafeterias; in elementary grades, the nutrition program will be ensured without limitations.

During the meeting, discussions also focused on the effectiveness of inclusive education. The August consultations continue.