MINISTER: EFFORTS SHOULD BE TAKEN IN ARMENIA TO REHABILITATE SYSTEM OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 2 2007

YEREVAN, October 2. /ARKA/. Efforts should be taken in Armenia to
rehabilitate the system of preschool education, said Minister of
Education Levon Lazarian during the round-table "Educational reforms
and problems of preschool education in the modern stage."

He said that today the system of Armenia’s preschool education is
the weakest link in the sphere of education.

"The material and technical basis are almost fully worn out, teachers’
and educators’ staff was for a long time had no possibility to upgrade
their professional skills, and the political filed is extremely
liberal, that gives a chance to anyone to form a structure and work
with children of preschool age," he said.

Lazarian believes that these three main shortages are the cause that
as compared to other countries in the region the level of involvement
of Armenian children in the sphere of preschool education is very low.

"To overcome the situation it is necessary to take serious steps
to take these establishments out of the local self-government
institutions," he said.

Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration Vache Terteryan pointed
out that Armenia’s Government attaches great importance to the role
of the preschool education in the issue of bringing up the rising
generation, and the approval of the Law "On preschool education"
is a bright example of this.

"We have a big field for activity, as preschool education is one
of the leading spheres of education and as a first link of all the
structure it plats an important role in the formation of competition
and effective system of education," he said.

Sheldon Yett from the Armenian office of UNICEF said that children
must attend preschool establishments to be psychologically ready for
entering the system of comprehensive education and optimally behave
in school.

Director of the National Education Institute of the Ministry of
Education and Science Noryar Ghukasyan said that the main aim of
the round-table was to elaborate a strategy for preschool education,
which is called to systemize and provide effective cooperation between
the government, local self-governing bodies, system of education,
country’s regions and international organizations.

The round-table was organized by the Ministry of Education and Science
together with UNICEF. Representatives from the Government, National
Assembly, International and Public Organizations, as well as heads
of regional administrations participate in it.

According to the Ministry of Education and Science, there are 768
state preschool establishments in Armenia, 166 out of which are in
Yerevan and 602 in the all regions of the country.