UNICEF AND ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO EDUCATION OF
ETHNIC MINORITIES IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN. The UNICEF and the RA Ministry of
Education and Science on September 1 organized an event on the
occasion of the new educational year in the village of Alagyaz
populated by Kurds. According to a press release submitted to NT by
UNICEF Armenia Office, the purpose of the event was to encourage
education of ethnic minorities living in Armenia. The event was part
of the program "Salute, School", under which the UNICEF provided
stationery, sport and educational items to schools of the Kurd and
Yezid communities. "The right to receive good education is one of the
main rights of each child," UNICEF Representative to Armenia Sheldon
Yett stated, adding that the best investment that a country can make
is an investment in education of its citizens. The UNICEF
representative said that the RA Ministry of Education and Science
encourages education of ethnic minorities by providing them with
textbooks in their native language and training school teachers. A
study on education of ethnic minorities in Armenia was conducted by
the UNICEF. It showed that children of such communities have serious
education-related problems. Their school attendance index is quite low
compated with the average index in the country. Moreover, the number
of those who drop out of school after the 8th form is rather
large. "The Armenian government has always paid special attention to
the needs of ethnic minorities. With the assistance of international
organizations, particularly the UNICEF, the RA Ministry of Education
and Science tries to find solutions to educational problems of ethnic
minorities. We succeeded in acheiving our goals – already this year,
by financing repairs of schools in 3 communities populated by ethnic
minorities," RA Deputy Minister of Education and Science Bagrat
Yesayan noted. According to him, the assistance to ethnic minority
communities will continue.