Some Armenian Schools Have 7-8 Pupils

SOME ARMENIAN SCHOOLS HAVE 7-8 PUPILS

ool
01:02 pm | October 21, 2009

Society

The school of Verin Ptghni village, Kotayk Marz, has 87 pupils.

Second- and third-formers have joint lessons as the number of pupils
totals nine.

The school principal says the lessons are held on equal footing with
the teacher concentrating on each pupil separately.

"How can a specialist teach second- and third-formers at a time if
the curriculum is different?" wonders Armine Poghosian, the parent
of one of the third-formers.

Many parents think of transferring their children to other schools.

"If the issue is left unaddressed the school will soon be dissolved,"
say parents.

Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotian shares their concerns
at the same time he dispels the rumours about dissolution.

"There are many schools facing the same problem in the republic. The
phenomenon is common in less populated settlements where some schools
have only 7-8 pupils.

The Ministry needs time to handle the problem. Firstly, we must
allocate transport vehicles to take children from small settlements to
the nearby general school. Besides, some schools need urgent repair
which the Ministry cannot afford now. Therefore, we had better fix a
base school in one of the villages to host all children from nearby
settlements," said the Minister.

Asked how the teacher manages to deal with pupils of different age
groups, Mr. Ashotian said: "As there are few pupils in the class the
teacher is able to give lessons to both classes. Moreover, the teacher
focuses on each child which is not the case with larger classes."

Naira Hakobian, third-year student of Yerevan State Pedagogical
University

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

http://a1plus.am/en/society/2009/10/21/sch

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS