Teachers in Preschool Institutions to Be Chosen Through Competition: New Amendment Open for Public Discussion

If previously, the selection of educators in preschool institutions was conducted at the discretion of the director, who could hire anyone arbitrarily, now that process is being regulated. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasian in a conversation with Sputnik Armenia, addressing the draft opened for public discussion.

It should be noted that a new project has been developed, according to which educators in preschool institutions will be selected through a competition, establishing a unified procedure for the selection of pedagogical staff.

"Indeed, the kindergarten director is still the head of the competition commission, but they can no longer make decisions unilaterally; the selection of the educator will be based on the majority opinion of the commission. Additionally, there is now a clear procedure for the selection of educators," said Andreasian.

She informed that the selection of educators will be carried out in two phases, including a test, the questionnaire for which will be provided by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia, meaning that arbitrary questions cannot be included. There will also be an interview stage, which, according to Andreasian, will allow familiarizing with the pedagogical skills of potential employees in preschool institutions. The deputy minister also considers it important to establish a mechanism for appealing the competition results. If anyone believes they have been unjustly excluded, they will be able to contest the process.

"I believe this is a step forward, because when the process is regulated, it becomes more transparent and accountable. Of course, it is not without risks, but we also have the opportunity to monitor the process after it is implemented, identify risks, and make improvements for better regulation in the future," added the deputy minister.

It is worth noting that there were opinions on social networks regarding this project, indicating that the activities of kindergarten directors to date are being called into question, as it pertains to arbitrary practices. The director of Yerevan’s kindergarten No. 128, Hasmik Poghosyan, believes that while the competition-based selection of educators is correct, it is also risky.

"This format is risky for recent graduates since they lack work experience. For instance, when competing against an educator with 20-25 years of work experience, a recent graduate may not be very competitive, as it is no secret that over the years, professionals acquire skills through experience. Additionally, currently employed educators are also retrained, while new graduates are practically unprepared," said Poghosyan.

On the other hand, according to her, passing the competition is important for recent graduates as it prepares them better. Poghosyan sees the solution to this issue as following: despite the fact that students undergo practical training, it would be beneficial for recent graduates to receive training in other kindergartens before the competition day when they enter the job market.

As for arbitrary approaches when selecting employees, Poghosyan assures that no arbitrary approach has occurred and will not occur, as the knowledge of each preschooler is the priority for every director. "What arbitrariness are we talking about when there is a clear order for appointing an educator? That is, I personally follow the order given to me and am guided by the qualification of the educator when making my choice," stated Poghosyan. She added that an educator should be equipped with innovative methods, otherwise, there will be stagnation in the development of children leaving the kindergarten.