MINISTER TALKED TO PARENTS OF SENIOR STUDENTS

KarabakhOpen
25-01-2008 11:25:56

The minister of education Vladik Khachatryan met with the teachers
and parents of senior students of secondary schools. The minister
explained the new rules of final exams at school and entrance exams
at the universities.

This year the 11th form students will take an integrated exam in
Armenian grammar and literature, math and a foreign language (English,
German, French, Russian). An integrated exam is that the final exams
at school are at the same time entrance exams for universities. All
the students will take the A exam and will get a GCSE. The students
who want to go to university, must take the B exam in the subject
required for admittance to university.

Last year the new exam was taken in Armenian grammar and literature
only.

According to the minister, in future all the exams will be taken
at school.

In other words, entrance exams at universities will be eliminated. Each
university will set the minimum score required for entrance.

The minister told about serious reforms in secondary education. The
school will have three levels. The first two levels will be
compulsory. The students who wish to get a higher education will
study at high school. The minister said the program of reforms is
currently being worked out, and the details will be made known by
the new academic year.

Vladik Khachatryan answered the questions of parents. He underlined
that the exams will be highly strict. "The tests will be printed
in the U.K. at an authoritative publishing house. The tests will
be accompanied by security guards to Yerevan and Stepanakert. The
tests will be kept in a bank. The tests will be taken to the exam by
policemen," the minister said, as if it was a military secret.

The minister underlined that the exams will be highly
objective. Answering the question about the difficulty of the test of
English, the minister said it is based on the school program. However,
he advised to take additional classes in the upcoming 4 months.