According to some preliminary calculations, this year the number of first grade students will increase by 30% because the students will be divided into two groups: those whose birthday is between the period of September and December, and those whose birthday is before this period (i.e. those who are at the age of 6,5). At the same time, three groups of schoolchildren will leave their schools: 10th 11th and 12th grade students. Currently, there is no certain education policy for these changes. The ministry of education has taken long-term credits from banks in order to reform and comply our educational system with international standards. Officials in this field say that these reforms are made for the welfare of children and their families. We talked to Gohar Gevorgyan, whose daughter will turn 6 on November 10 and asked her opinion concerning these changes. “I am strictly against this innovation because my child is not ready for that psychologically. She is going to be six soon but her legs don’t reach the floor even when she is sitting on her chair in kindergarten. Children are not developed enough at that age. What if they tell their teachers that they want to play but not study? Will they be able to make them study? Besides that, our educational system is on the verge of a downfall and taking such steps without certain analysis may bring to negative results”, says Mrs. Gevorgyan.
Pediatrician and immunologist at the Arabkir hospital Brijida Simonyan says that at that age children experience different psychological and physical processes and are not developed enough. She says that they are not even allowed to attend kindergarten for a while. They may even have problems with their tongue and not speak well. Besides that, she says that at that age children’s vision is not developed enough, and children may feel pressure if they see their difference with other children. Doctor Rafael Petrosyan says that the children’s chairs made in the Soviet era are not intended for this many small children and their legs may not reach the floor. If their legs don’t reach the ground they are not allowed to sit more than 20 minutes, if doing so, they may get different physical injuries and problems. Doctors say that children’s abilities can be seen if you pay attention to how well they can move their fingers. Fingers are directly connected with the brain and if they move their fingers well enough this means that they are developed. They even bring an example and say that in historical Sparta children were taken from their families at the age of 7.
These educational reforms are carried out by the national educational institution and office of educational reforms of the ministry of education. The head of this program implementation office, Karen Melkonyan says that, “there is no need for further analysis, because we have the positive conclusion from head of the psychologists’ association, Sergey Aghuzumtsyan. Besides that, we have analyzed international experience”. He also says that schools are already prepared and ready to start instruction. According to him, this program is based on pictures and other educational materials, but not on the functioning of brains. According to head of public education of the ministry of education, Narine Hovhannisyan, this system will enhance our country and make it more compatible in the world. “By applying this new system we will also adjust the children’s class schedule a little better. Now children will have easier alphabets. They will attend class for three hours a day and will have 45 minutes to play games. Currently, we are training over 2300 teachers. We have also told school principals to create certain conditions for children and furnish their rooms with carpets and other relevant things. We have the program, the environment, teachers, so we must do that. I don’t think there are any problems with this”, says Narine Hovhannisyan.