Changes in Education Sector: High School Workload to Decrease

The Armenian government has discussed a draft to amend and supplement the state standards of general education, presented by the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Zhanna Andreasyan, at a governmental session. The minister noted that the draft is based on the experience of school operations under the new standards, analyses conducted, and assessments of existing issues.

“The proposed draft will allow one of the key objectives of the government program—enhancing the quality of general education—to be more targeted and yield greater results,” Andreasyan stated. According to her, the amendments aim to increase the flexibility and efficiency of the learning process, reduce both content and organizational workload, and expand opportunities for individual development and career orientation for students, especially in high school.

The minister recalled that the new standard for general education was established in 2021, initially trialed in the Tavush region, and since 2023, has been implemented in phases across all schools. It currently applies to grades 1-11, with full implementation for 12th grade expected by September 2026.

Andreasyan emphasized that there are no ideological changes being made, and the approach that education should encompass knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes remains intact. The reforms also envision a more flexible system for forming educational plans. Schools will have the opportunity to better account for community and student needs alongside the mandatory state components.

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports also plans to expand project-based learning. It is proposed that each semester, schools implement at least one project, one of which should be science-oriented. “Through project-based learning, children learn to work on a problem from start to finish, from formulating the problem to searching for solutions and drawing conclusions,” the minister added.

Significant changes are also anticipated for grades 10-12. According to the ministry's proposal, students who successfully pass their final or unified exams in January will have the opportunity to focus on project, research, or volunteer work during the second semester.

The draft also seeks to introduce integrated and modular teaching approaches, which will allow for a reduction in the number of subjects without compromising content volume. The changes will also regulate the students' workload, taking into account international practices and the necessity of safeguarding children's health.

Additionally, the component of safe life activities and healthy lifestyles will be expanded. Specifically, the subject of initial military training will include topics related to information and civil security, self-defense, and basic survival skills. Moreover, the healthy lifestyle group will be incorporated into the subject matter.

Furthermore, a mechanism for the periodic review of the state standards of general education is established, allowing for reviews every four years based on conducted analyses.