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On March 18, Armenian Minister of Education and Science Levon Mkrtchyan held a meeting with principals of about 110 schools, which are members of the “Union of School-Centres” Union of Legal Entities. The meeting was also attended by Rector of Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU) Ruben Mirzakhanyan, members of the teaching staff and representatives of the education sector.
During the ASPU-hosted meeting, Levon Mkrtchyan presented his vision of education, emphasizing the connection between all levels of the education sector, its continuation and focused on the problems of high schools and their possible solutions.
“Education is a three-party process that involves parents, learners and educators, it is a wholeness of trilateral supporters which gives reasons to contemplate over educational issues, it implies people who are responsible for the creation of an Armenian type of education,” the Minister stressed adding that it is necessary to choose from the existing models the working tool suitable for the education system in Armenia.
Mr Mkrtchyan assured everyone that there is not such a notion as international education: there are international education standards, and we shall either have our place among them or we shall have to serve other education systems.
The Minister also shared his concerns over high schools, assuring everyone that the reputation of high schools has a negative impact on the entire education system. “We localized the innovation without complying with the content. We confuse the meaning of a high school, which is supposed to turn a pupil from a learner to a decision-maker, to a person who chooses his/her career: that role is automatically assumed by universities. It is here that the indissoluble chain of education is broken, affecting the quality of Master’s degree education,” he said.
Levon Mkrtchyan called on school principals to have individual development plans, involving in them failures and achievements of activities, submit proposals arising therefrom and participate actively in the development of a national education program.
Ruzanna Muradyan, Chairwoman of the “Union of School Centres” Union of Legal Entities, presented the Union’s activity in 2015, the scope of cooperation, directions of activities, stressing that the number of schools joining the Union is growing over time.
She also emphasized close cooperation between the Pedagogical University and high schools, noting that it is a necessity both for the University and for schools.
Presenting the successful experience of three-year collaboration between the ASPU and University of Oulu (Finland), ASPU Rector Ruben Mirzakhanyan said when planning and developing curriculum it is necessary to consider peculiarities of national education. “It is necessary to integrate into international experience, but instead of copying [foreign experience] it is important to enhance the quality of the process, taking into account best practices,” he said.
During the meeting, the school principals also made speeches, focusing on parent-school relationships, enhancement of teachers’ reputation, curriculum overload in high schools and other topics.
