Government Plans to Include Third Foreign Language in School Curriculum 'If Possible'

The government plans to include a third foreign language in the national school curriculum 'if possible.' This was announced today, February 21, at a press conference in Yerevan by Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan.

Currently, all secondary education institutions in Armenia teach Russian starting from the second grade, along with another foreign language (English, French, or German). Schools will now be able to choose a third foreign language, depending on the availability of resources that the state will attempt to provide, noted the deputy minister.

Special attention will be given to the languages of neighboring countries, Andreasyan added. 'Students need to be prepared based on knowledge of neighboring countries, who will recognize and defend their country's interests. For example, our textbooks about Iran only present historical facts, but there is nothing about contemporary Iran, its culture, society, and values,' she said.

This also applies to Georgian, Turkish, and Azerbaijani. Without understanding the linguistic culture of neighboring countries, it will be more challenging for Armenia’s younger generation to defend their own state interests, noted Andreasyan.