Knowledge Assessment Will No Longer Be Conducted at the End of Grade 4 Educational Program: New Changes by the Ministry of Education

In a decree by the Minister of Education, the procedure for the final assessment or certification of students' mastery of educational programs, student transfers, graduation, and the transfer of students who have been absent during the academic year to the next grade or level of education has been approved.

With the introduction of the new education standards, it is proposed that final examinations be aligned with the new assessment system each year, in accordance with the logic of the standards and educational policy. Considering that assessments in elementary grades will be conducted through characterization alongside the implementation of the new standards, and that only from the second semester of the 5th grade will students receive numerical grades, the assessment of knowledge at the first level of education has been aligned with this logic.

An important component of the new standards is project-based learning, which is expected to be particularly evident in the final examinations for science-oriented subjects. As such, starting in the 2023-2024 academic year in the Tavush region, and in subsequent years in all educational institutions of Armenia, changes will be implemented regarding the knowledge assessment conducted at the end of the educational level, specifically: there will be no knowledge assessment at the end of the educational program for the 4th grade, and students will be transferred to the next level of education based on formed characteristics, which will be considered as certification of the student’s knowledge.

The final examinations for the 9th grade in the subjects of “Literature” and “Armenian History” will be conducted in written form through essays, reflecting the student’s ability to think independently and analyze. In the case of science subjects, the learner will have the option to choose between a test or a project. The project work must be conducted in at least two science subjects. For other subjects, the mechanism for the examination process through tests remains, but the nature of the assignments will change to align with the content of international assessment tests.

The state final examinations for the 12th grade will be conducted in a testing manner, with content matching that of international assessment tests. Thus, with these relevant changes, it is expected to make the students’ final assessment in line with sectoral reforms.

Until the implementation of the new education standards, students who have been absent for more than 60 hours in any semester during the academic year will have their semester grades determined through additional written assignments at the end of that semester. This requirement will come into effect from the second semester of the 2023-2024 academic year.