EDUCATIONAL SPHERE MUSTN’T MINGLE WITH THE POLITICAL ONE
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[05:36 pm] 13 June, 2006
Item Change In Educational System
Levon Lazarian, Minister of Education and Science doesn’t like the
expression “educational reforms.”
In his first press release he called on people present to use the
variant “Let’s confront the existing educational system to the
European standards.”
He avoided to give any comments on the activity of ex minister
Sergo Eritsyan but judging from the contents of the press release
lasting an hour and a half it was evident that he was displeased with
Eritsyan’s work.
Let us illustrate his words in this connection, “I have got the
impression that they took 10-year education and converted it into
12-year one.” In Lazarian’s words the educational projects of 12-year
education are not distinct yet. “I think that a child mustn’t learn
more than his age permits. In case of 12-year education the years of
higher education must be curtailed,” claims Lazarian.
He also praised the ex minister, “According to other criteria he
implemented his work properly,” noted Levon Lazarian.
New Minister and new principles
Before taking up the new office Levon Lazarian presented his demands
to the people who proposed his candidacy. He mainly demanded that
certain problems, methods and principles offered by him during his
office be finally solved.
Lazarian also referred to the shortcomings of the system and spoke
of a few questions of principle.
His first principle is that people shouldn’t deem the ministry as
the system of holding exams. He thinks that people are right while
criticizing the changes.
“If the question cannot be settled today we must frankly say that the
solution will be given in 5 years. If the salary of a teacher is low
we must say that it will be raised later,” explains the minister.
Lazarian attaches great importance to the transparency of the
system. “Each official must be transparent.” Another vital principle
for the minister is that the system mustn’t mingle with politics. “If
we take this for granted and as a principle it will greatly contribute
to the system,” he says.
The end of cooperative institutes is near.
Levon Lazarian doesn’t understand the procedure of accrediting and
licensing educational establishments.
“We shall need many years to recover the faults,” urges the minister
and adds, “The current situation must be changed and the rules of
the game are to be altered.”
As for the quality of education the minister compared it with the
level of the Medieval Asia and Turkey.
According to him the collapse of the higher education is apparent. He
maintains that we must make use of credit resources and initiate the
investment of the credit system.