School Principals and Partisan Politics: New Restrictions to be Imposed

To prevent the politicization of schools, the Armenian government is proposing to restrict the right to run for the position of principal to ordinary party members only. This was stated today by the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport, Zhanna Andreasyan, during the presentation of new amendments following the first reading of the bill on the "Law on General Education" at the regular session of the National Assembly.

“Responding to concerns about the politicization of schools and their involvement in political processes, we propose in the draft law to additionally stipulate that an individual who is a leader of a party or its local subdivisions and is a member of bodies exercising control over them cannot be nominated or serve as a principal or coordinator,” Andreasyan said.

Additionally, individuals subject to criminal prosecution and those who have not been acquitted cannot hold the position of a school leader. The package of amendments to the "Law on General Education" was accepted in its first reading in 2021. On November 25, 2021, the government approved a draft aimed at separating the administrative and educational management of schools. Many school principals, as well as education experts, are not unanimous regarding this change, as they believe it could create dual authority.