ACCORDING TO SERGE SARGSIAN, MEANS DIRECTED AT SCIENCE TO ALWAYS BE INCREASED
Noyan Tapan
April 28, 2008
YEREVAN, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. To have a low quality of education in
the 21st century means to have a low living standard. This statement
was made by Serge Sargsian, the President of the Republic of Armenia,
at the annual general meeting of the RA National Academy of Sciences,
which was held on April 25.
He mentioned that in 2007 the government endorsed the complex program
of the reforms of the sphere of science and a State Committee of
Science was formed. "We expect that the strengthening of this link of
the state government is to have a considerable result in terms of a
more productive settlement of the problems of the sphere of science,"
Serge Sargsian said.
In response to the speeches of scientists, according to which the sums
allocated for science have been decreased, the President mentioned
that in 2008 the budget financing of science has increased by 18
percent. In addition to this, the size of the additional payments
given for degrees has been doubled and the financing fund of subject
studies has increased by 50 percent.
The President is sure that both the hard social-economic state of
scientists and the lack of a proper attention of the state have played
a role in the fall of the scinetific specialities and ratings. However,
in the opinion of Serge Sargsian, the careless attitude of certain
unconscientious scientists towards their work has also played its
great role. "For example, the significance of academic ranks has
seriously been endangered, the number of scientific councils has
increased turning out numerous candidates of science, who do not
correspond to the demands for that degree at all," he mentioned.
In the conviction of Serge Sargsian, the problems existing in the
sphere should, first of all, be settled with the help of scientists:
"It is easy to always criticise the authorities, but one should also
support. Offer a solution, display a civil posture, we are ready to
add the allocated means," Serge Sargsian said. The President mentioned
at the same time that they should be sure that the allocated means
are used productively.