Head of the education department of the municipality Onik Vatyan discussed the plans for 2006 yesterday. According to Vatyan, 37 schools have been fully remodeled in 2005.
“Twenty two schools have been remodeled with funding provided by the state, while 15 have been remodeled by investments worth approximately 3 million dollars,” he said.
Although the plan included providing the schools with 300 computers, the municipality went beyond that and gave 340 computers. Compared to the first semester in 2005, there has been a rise in the number of A students by 45% and progress in general is up by 2%.
O. Vatyan also talked about some projects aimed towards improving physical education in schools implemented by the municipality, the government and even the president.
“Twenty two school gyms have been remodeled. The number 129 and 56 schools now have gyms when they didn’t even have them before,” said O. Vatyan.
According to him, the number 126 school draws special attention in that it has three gyms. Besides the gyms, 17 playgrounds have been remodeled. Compared to the 100,000 dollars provided by the state budget for schools, this year that number has increased to 220,000 dollars and the schools have bought gym equipment. Whereas the municipality’s school budget was 1,333,333 billion dollars in 2004, that number went up by 2 billion in 2005. Based on the law, the budget for 2006 is 220,000 dollars. That money does not include remodeling and construction of gyms. This year it is foreseen to triple the amount spent on remodeling. The Linsi foundation has proposed a project and currently work is being done on the plans and documents. Nine schools will not only be remodeled but will be built securely. O. Vatyan assures that those nine schools will not only include schools in the capital, but also the best in Armenia.