We Want School Principals to Focus Less on Doors, Windows, Roofs, and Other Issues: Pashinyan

The government has approved a draft decision to amend the law on "General Education," which is aimed at improving the effectiveness of the system's operations and encouraging the development opportunities within it. The changes will ensure the continuity of professional development for teachers and enhance the management mechanisms of educational institutions.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, clarifying the draft, stated, “We continue to make important and fundamental reforms in the field of general education, and with the adoption of this law, we will see significant and visible changes in the sector. We want school principals to focus on the content of education and to spend as little time as possible on doors, windows, roofs, pipes, and other issues.”

Pashinyan emphasized that this approach separates the management of the administrative and economic aspects of schools from the educational content, meaning that principals will be devoted to educational quality. He announced that another official, titled the head of the administrative and economic component, will oversee the management of grouped school buildings.

He noted that there should be a mechanism to assess the work of school principals. “Appointed principals will be immune for one year, and after that, councils will have the opportunity to express no confidence. Every three years, their performance and results must be evaluated,” he stated.

Pashinyan also mentioned that new and additional mechanisms for financing inclusive education are planned. He pointed out that there are cases where a principal has been in position for decades, and if a person performs quality work, loves their job, and meets the state-set standards, they should be able to continue working.