School Holidays Will Not Be Extended by Another Week – Ministry of Education Claims Reports Are False

Today, several media outlets reported that the autumn school holidays have been extended by another week, until November 12 inclusive. It was also mentioned that preschool institutions, art, artistic, music, and sports schools would not operate until November 12. Vocational schools, colleges, and universities will continue to conduct classes in remote and online formats.

In a conversation with Auroranews, Gegham Melikbekyan, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (MoESCS), stated that the circulating information is not true. “We do not know where the media got such information,” he noted.

The spokesperson referred to a decision made by the ministry on October 25 and requested that only that decision be considered valid.

It should be noted that the decision states: “The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia has sent a circular letter to organizations implementing higher and post-graduate vocational education programs. Based on the epidemiological situation created in the Republic of Armenia due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sharp increase in the disease in recent days, it has been proposed that from October 26, 2021, to November 15, educational activities at higher education institutions be conducted through online learning. The teaching must be organized using modern information and communication technologies and tools, according to the specialization of the university and the characteristics of the taught specialties.

The MoESCS has also sent a circular letter to the directors of preliminary vocational (craft) and secondary vocational educational institutions. Based on the results and recommendations of the studies conducted by the Ministry of Health regarding the epidemic coronavirus (COVID-19), these institutions have been instructed to organize the educational process remotely for two weeks starting from October 26, 2021.

As part of the measures to prevent coronavirus infection in the Republic, it is also planned to extend the autumn holidays for students in grades 1-12, as provided in the exemplary educational plans for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, by one more week, until November 7, 2021, inclusive. The MoESCS urges educational institutions not to summon staff to school during the holidays and to organize work as remotely as possible.