EuroEducation.net : Armenia: Structure of Educational System ("EuroEducation.net - Armenia: Structure of Educational System") [ID 2784]

"Pre-higher education:

Duration of compulsory education:
Age of entry: 7
Age of exit: 14

Structure of school system:
Primary
Type of school providing this education: Primary School
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 7 to: 9

Basic
Type of school providing this education: Intermediate School
Length of program in years: 5
Age level from: 9 to: 14
Certificate/diploma awarded: Himnakan yndhanur krtutyan atestat (Certificate of Basic Education)

Senior Secondary
Type of school providing this education: High (Senior) School
Length of program in years: 2
Age level from: 14 to: 16

Certificate/diploma awarded: Mijnakarg/Irviv/yndhanur krtutyan Atestat (Certificate of full Secondary Education)

School education:
General secondary education lasts for 2 years after completion of the first two stages: primary school (3 years) and intermediate school (5 years). Access is through the Certificate of Basic Education. The certificate awarded at the end of general secondary education is the Mijnakarg /Iriv/Yndhanur Krtutyan Attestat for full Secondary Education or the Mijin Masnagitakan Krtutyan Diplom for middle professional education.

Higher education:
The aim of higher professional education is to provide high quality professional education and re-qualification based on secondary general and intermediate professional education that meets educational development needs. Institutions of higher education comprise universities and institutes."

Document(s): EuroEducation.net - Armenia: Structure of Educational System

19.09.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Law on Education mandates that public schools offer a secular education ("International Religious Freedom Report 2008") [ID 24791]

"The Law on Education mandates that public schools offer a secular education. Only personnel authorized and trained by the Government may teach in public schools. Classes in religious history are part of the public school curriculum and are taught by public school teachers. The history of the Armenian Church is the basis of this curriculum; many schools teach about world religions in elementary school and the history of the Armenian Church in middle school. All religious organizations may establish groups for religious instruction to train their members, utilizing facilities belonging to or set aside for them. The law grants the Armenian Church the right to organize voluntary religious classes in state education institutions using the facilities and resources of those institutions."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Access to education in rural areas remained difficult; many facilities were impoverished and in poor condition ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20341]

"Education is free, universal, and compulsory through age 14; secondary education is provided through the complete secondary level. According to the UN Development Program, in 2003, 84 percent of students completed schooling through age 14, and 36 percent studied through age 16. Many facilities were impoverished and in poor condition. Access to education in rural areas remained difficult, and work in the fields during harvest season took precedence over school for many children. Lack of funding to provide heat prompted school officials in many areas to extend winter school breaks by as much as an additional month. Many teachers demanded bribes from parents in return for good or passing grades.
In 2005 the government began to focus on education reform, and the 2005‑2006 national budget included an allocation for increases in educators' salaries.
A 2004 survey commissioned by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) found that school drop‑out rates were high for children from poor communities. NGOs reported that school absenteeism was also on the rise."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Education is free, universal and compulsory; however, access to education in rural areas remained poor; corruption among teachers ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46111],  [ID 17230]

"Education is free, universal, and compulsory through age 14; a secondary education is provided through age 16(this represents a complete secondary education). According to the UN Development Program, in 2003 84 percent of students completed schooling through age 14, and 36 percent studied through age 16. Many facilities were impoverished and in poor condition. Access to education in rural areas remained poor, and work in fields during harvest season took precedence over school for many children. Lack of funding to provide for heat prompted school officials in many areas to extend winter school breaks by as long as an additional month. Many teachers were known to demand bribes from parents in return for good or passing grades."

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

International agencies work with government to improve schools ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29491],  [ID 2777]

"A number of international agencies, such as UNICEF, World Vision, the World Bank, and the OSCE, worked with the Government and local groups to upgrade and improve schools, integrate children with special needs into schools, and to facilitate government efforts against trafficking of children."

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

General information on school system ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29491],  [ID 2778]

"Education is free, universal, and compulsory through age 14; it is then optional through age 16 (complete secondary education). According to a 2003 U.N. Development Program survey, 84.3 percent of students completed schooling through age 14, and 36.7 percent studied through age 16. Girls and boys received equal educational opportunities; however, many facilities were impoverished and in poor condition. Some teachers were known to demand bribes from parents in return for good or passing grades for their children. Access to education in rural areas remained poor, and children's work in fields during harvest season took precedence over school."

Document(s): Open document

10.2002 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Due to poverty many families cannot afford higher education of their children ("Analysen und Hintergründe ") [#10328],  [ID 2780]

"Die gegenwärtige Entwicklung bedroht den einst hohen Bildungsstand in Armenien. Die allgemeine
Not führt viele Familien, vor allem auf dem Land, dazu, von ihren Jugendlichen zu
verlangen, dass sie die obligatorische zehnklassige Schulausbildung vorzeitig abbrechen.
Da die Jugendlichen jetzt in den privat bewirtschafteten Farmen mitarbeiten müssen, wird
ihr Schulbesuch in den oberen Klassen häufig unregelmässig. Von 100 Jugendlichen haben
1995 nur 58 die oberen Schulklassen beendet. Nach Angaben des Verteidigungsministeriums
war dieser Anteil bei den im Jahr 2000 Gemusterten auf 40 Prozent gesunken. Doch
auch bei den Schulanfängern ist die Schülerzahl stark zurückgegangen: Nach Angaben des
A.D. Sakharov Armenian Human Rights Centre kann aus Armutsgründen nur jeder zweite
Erstklässler am Unterricht teilnehmen15. Während ihre Zahl 1986 71.130 Kinder betrug, waren es 1996 nur noch 37.476. Im Ergebnis der starken Auswanderung ist die Schülerzahl
insgesamt um 3,1 Prozent zurückgegangen.
Hinzu kommt ein Rückgang der Lehrinhalte: Der Wissensstand der heutigen Schüler umfasst
nur noch 30 bis 40 Prozent des Grundlehrstoffes. Die Ursache dieser Entwicklung ist
die schlechte Anpassung des Schulwesens an die neuen Lebensverhältnisse sowie die katastrophale
Finanzlage der Schulen. Es fehlt besonders in ländlichen Gebieten an Lehrbüchern
und Unterrichtsmaterialien, in erster Linie aber an qualifizierten Lehrkräften. Während
des Schuljahres 1994/95 sank die Zahl der Lehrer mit Hochschulabschluss um 15 Prozent,
die der männlichen Lehrer um 5 Prozent. Jeder sechste Lehrer steht schon im Rentenalter.
Jeder vierte Lehrer besitzt kein Universitätsexamen. Häufig müssen Lehrer monatelang warten,
bis ihnen ihr mageres Gehalt ausgezahlt wird (2001: 20-30 USD/mtl.). Die dramatische
Armut der Schullehrer ist einer von mehreren Gründen für das verschlechterte Verhältnis zu
den Schülern. Auch die Verleger von Schulbüchern müssen häufig lange auf ihre Bezahlung
warten.
Die Energiekrise hat dazu geführt, dass die Regierung die Schulzeit gekürzt hat. Drei bis
vier Monate im Jahr, im Winter 1997/98 noch immer zwei Monate lang fand kein Unterricht
statt. Erst seit 1999 werden die Jerewaner Schulen so beheizt, dass auch im Winter unterrichtet
werden kann. Viele Schulen befinden sich baulich in lebensgefährlichem Verfall.
Zwar ist die Sekundarstufe in der Schule kostenlos, aber im Hochschulbereich wird die Zahl
der von der Regierung subventionierten Studienplätze immer mehr gesenkt."

Document(s): Open document

10.2002 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Illegal bribes ("Analysen und Hintergründe ") [#10328],  [ID 2781]

"Armut unter den Wissenschaftlern hat dazu geführt, dass die bereits in Sowjetzeiten bestehende
Bestechlichkeit der Hochschullehrer bei Aufnahme- und Abschlussprüfungen drastisch
zugenommen hat. Zusätzlich zu den offiziellen Studiengebühren werden pro Studienjahr
den Hochschullehrern illegale "Gebühren" gezahlt, deren Höhe nach Studienfach variiert,
häufig aber einige Hunderte USD beträgt. Folglich ist zwischen 1990 bis 1995 die Zahl
der Hochschulstudenten beständig zurückgegangen. Aus Furcht vor einem weiteren Exodus
qualifizierter Bürger versäumt es die Regierung, umfassend über Studienmöglichkeiten im
Ausland zu informieren.
Im Zuge der Privatisierung sind zahlreiche Privatschulen und -universitäten entstanden, an
denen Studenten durchschnittlich 500 USD pro Semester zahlen. Von den derzeit 25 Privatuniversitäten
sind allerdings nur 17 staatlich anerkannt. Das Niveau und die Leistungsanforderungen
sind sehr unterschiedlich. Manche Privatuniversitäten bestehen nur aus einer
Fakultät. Die angeseheneren nehmen nur Schulabgänger mit Prädikatszeugnissen auf. Da
von den Lehrkräften im allgemeinen erwartet wird, dass sie das "Leistungsniveau" der Universität
durch Bescheinigung guter Leistungen hoch halten, stehen freilich die Zeugnisse
der Privatuniversitäten nicht in ähnlichem Ansehen wie das der Staatlichen Universität Jerewan.
Dort unterrichten meist die selben Lehrkräfte wie an den Privatuniversitäten, nur
schlechter bezahlt und dafür in der Lage, ehrliche Noten zu vergeben."

Document(s): Open document

10.2002 - Source: Sakharov Armenian Human Rights Centre

A great number of parents cannot afford sending their children to school for the lack of money, especially in rural areas ("Analytical Report (period covered: 1 September 2001 to 30 September 2002)") [#9949],  [ID 2782]

"The general elementary education of children is hampered by a very low standard of living. A great number of parents cannot afford sending their children to school for the lack of money, especially in rural areas. Most of school-leavers cannot afford the higher education due to its expensiveness. [...] According to independent experts over 5 thsd. children are not able to go to school for lack of shoes, clothes and money for school necessities and text-books."

Document(s): Open document

04.03.2002 - Source: US Department of State

Education [ID 2783]

"The Government does not have the economic means to provide fully for the welfare of children. Education is free, universal, and compulsory through age 14, then optional through age 16 (complete secondary education), and girls and boys receive equal educational opportunities. However, many facilities are impoverished and in poor condition, and teachers are forced to tutor pupils privately to supplement salaries that are low and paid irregularly. Some teachers are known to demand bribes from parents in return for good or passing grades for their children. Free children's health care is available for all children through the age of 8 for treatment of some diseases and for emergency care, but often is of poor quality, and the practice of demanding overt or concealed payment of fees for medical service continued. In the Yezidi community, a high percentage of children do not attend school, partly for family economic reasons and partly because schools lack Yezidi teachers and books in their native language."

Document(s): Open document

2001 - Source: Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Monitoring report on rights and possibilities of students to receive quality education in pedagogical higher education institutions of Armenia ("Monitoring report on rights and possibilities of students to receive quality education in pedagogical higher education institutions of Armenia") [#9302],  [ID 2785]

Document(s): Open document

03.1994 - Source: US Library of Congress

US Library of Congress: Country Studies: Armenia - Education ("US Library of Congress: Country Studies: Armenia - Education") [ID 2786]

"A literacy rate of 100 percent was reported as early as 1960. In the communist era, Armenian education followed the standard Soviet model of complete state control (from Moscow) of curricula and teaching methods and close integration of education activities with other aspects of society, such as politics, culture, and the economy. As in the Soviet period, primary and secondary school education in Armenia is free, and completion of secondary school is compulsory. In the early 1990s, Armenia made substantial changes to the centralized and regimented Soviet system. Because at least 98 percent of students in higher education were Armenian, curricula began to emphasize Armenian history and culture. Armenian became the dominant language of instruction, and many schools that had taught in Russian closed by the end of 1991. Russian was still widely taught, however, as a second language.

In the 1990-91 school year, the estimated 1,307 primary and secondary schools were attended by 608,800 students. Another seventy specialized secondary institutions had 45,900 students, and 68,400 students were enrolled in a total of ten postsecondary institutions that included universities. In addition, 35 percent of eligible children attended preschools. In the 1988-89 school year, 301 students per 10,000 population were in specialized secondary or higher education, a figure slightly lower than the Soviet average. In 1989 some 58 percent of Armenians over age fifteen had completed their secondary education, and 14 percent had a higher education. In 1992 Armenia's largest institution of higher learning, Erevan State University, had eighteen departments, including ones for social sciences, sciences, and law. Its faculty numbered about 1,300 teachers and its student population about 10,000 students. The Erevan Architecture and Civil Engineering Institute was founded in 1989. Eight other institutions of higher learning, all located in Erevan, teach agriculture, fine arts and theater, economics, music, applied science and technology, medicine, pedagogy and foreign languages, and veterinary medicine."

Document(s): US Library of Congress: Country Studies: Armenia - Education