This year, Armenia’s state budget has granted 7 billion drams for the
remodeling of Armenian schools. Minister of Education and Sciences of
the Republic of Armenia Sergo Yeritsyan affirms that it is the first
year that such a large amount has been contributed from the state
budget. According to Sergo Yeritsyan, all schools will be remodeled in
the course of three to four years.
As the previous school year draws close to an end and the 2004-2005
school year begins, it is noteworthy that, at the present, there are 18
schools in Yerevan where students can go to class during the winter and
study under normal conditions. Those schools are provided with local
boiler-rooms. Currently, there are yet another nine boiler-rooms being
constructed. According to teachers, 27 schools will be provided with
boiler-rooms by the end of this year. Four schools are heated by the
Yerevan heat/electric station. The rest of the schools are still being
heated by electricity. Boiler-room heating is more suitable for Armenia
because it is 2-4 times cheaper than electricity. The school principals
who have boiler-rooms in their schools consider having a boiler-room
very important for schools today.
The city council has funded the remodeling of 27 school gyms. Overall,
the school gyms have been provided with equipment worth 40,000,000
million drams. As for work habits of the teachers and school
principals, four principals have received penalties from the
administration and one principal has been fired. One teacher has been
fired because he has forced the students to study knowing beforehand
that when it comes time for exams, they have to pay him to get a
passing grade.
The Ministry of Education officials hope that through combined efforts,
the 2004-2005 school year will be a great year for students, parents,
teachers and school principals. What’s even more favorable is Sergo
Yeritsyan’s promise to raise the average salary for teachers up to
50,000 dram starting from January 2005.