Oh, that “Bologna process”
The year 2006 was full of changes in the education sector of Armenia. The 12-year system launched at the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year, however not many parents approved that decision. A new system for P.H.D. admission was approved, which worries those who wish to continue their P.H.D. studies; there were some changes in the university admission exams, which confused the undergraduates even more. The Ministry of Education and Sciences of Armenia made all these changes and called it “reformation”, but that didn’t help convince those who have to go through these experiments. The Ministry of Education and Sciences has only one answer to all this: “We’re going along with the Bologna process”.
“The Bologna process gave us a chance to make Armenia’s educational system correspond to international norms,” said Minister of Education and Sciences of Armenia Levon Mkrtchyan during a year-end press conference. Speaking about the achievements in the education sector this year, the minister referred to the new testing system for the Armenian language and literature subject tests for the 2007 university admission exams.
“We’re ready to discuss any issue having to do with the quality of the system,” said L. Mkrtchyan, adding that the ministry is going to solve the issues concerning test orders and technical problems with the help of foreign countries in order to not take any risks. In 2007, the Ministry of Education and Sciences of Armenia must elaborate tests and test guides for subjects such as Armenian History, chemistry, physics, biology, geology and mathematics. The ministry will do the same for foreign languages in 2008.
“Armenia has to make the transition to the system used around the world and in the countries where there is no corruption,” said L. Mkrtchyan.
Why does the P.H.D. applicant need to take the TOEFL?
According to the Education and Sciences Minister, the weak link of Armenia’s educational system is the third level. Although there already are rules and regulations, however there are some serious issues concerning the contents.
“The diplomas given to graduates must be accepted worldwide and graduates must have the right to travel wherever they want to continue their studies. These rights fit in with the meaning of making the reforms,” said L. Mkrtchyan.
The ministry has already clarified the question that is on everyone’s mind: how will Armenia describe the scale of ranks for scientists? According to the minister, currently, the average Armenian candidate of sciences has a degree equal to that of the doctorate. The post-doctorate is considered a doctor of sciences, which is a bigger field and has to do with the reputation of the given person.
As mentioned above, P.H.D. applicants are worried over the reforms made in the P.H.D. admission exams procedure. Most of the applicants are really worried about taking the TOEFL English language test. Both professors and people with knowledge of English claim that the TOEFL test doesn’t test the individual’s knowledge of English and even the person with a satisfactory knowledge of English may fail. The Minister of Education and Sciences looks at this differently and believes that not all tests are aimed towards testing the individual’s knowledge of a certain subject.
“We check the standards. The state has provided funding and the P.H.D. applicants are offered to take courses before the exam. If the P.H.D. applicant knows English, he or she will understand that mechanism in two-three months. The transient points will be counted as low,” said Levon Mkrtchyan during an interview with “168 Hours”. In any case, it’s simple logic: if the future P.H.D. student can use English literature, what standards are they talking about and why do the applicants need to take the TOEFL?
You can’t fight against corruption with an axe and a cane
Recently, the “Sargis Tkhruni” student/youth union sent a letter with the results of a recent survey entitled “Is there corruption in universities of Yerevan?” (You can check out the results of the survey on www.168.am). According to the union, out of the 2000 surveyed, 1821 students had answered yes. “168 Hours” was interested in finding out the opinion of the Education and Sciences Minister about this. The minister assured that if the survey was done at a professional level, then the results would be sent to the boards of the universities and put up for discussion.
“There is corruption in Armenian universities. We’re trying to fight against it with this process and the students also have to get involved.”
According to the minister, it is foreseen to sign an open-memorandum with all individual students and organizations allowing them to participate in the monitoring program.
“You can’t fight against corruption with an axe and a cane. This is the only way,” said L. Mkrtchyan.
The destiny of the European Academy
“The ministry doesn’t have any problems with the European Academy. They have appealed to the Cassation Court. We know what we want. We’re looking for serious partners who can work with the program suggested by the European Academy,” said L. Mkrtchyan, recalling that the academy was founded with the purpose of developing informational technologies-a field that the ministry considers a major course to take.
“If the court trial goes as the ministry has planned, we will try to get the university to do its job and regulate. We can’t say anything for sure because the trial still hasn’t begun,” said L. Mkrtchyan.
In response to the question as to why the Ministry of Education and Sciences is raising this issue 5 years late, Minister Levon Mkrtchyan replied that it was raised on his part for the first time regarding the handover of the department buildings. At the time, it was all about the “erectile” ideology and, according to the minister, this was fair and correct.
“We gave the building. Then the French Embassy of Armenia started to worry over the quality of the academy. We solved that issue in the summer when we were trying to clear things up concerning the students’ right to have extensions. Here we have the right to have unlimited extension of study. This was a major problem. In order to not infringe upon the interests of the students, I was forced to sign a resolution for the granting of graduate certificates for the magistrates. It was then that we realized that we have no basis. Yes, I accept the fact that the ministry hasn’t done its job well,” said the Minister of Education and Sciences.
As for the students, L. Mkrtchyan said a couple of times that the students are not going to face any problems because the government realizes that the students are paying money to study and it feels a sense of responsibility.
“Our problem is with the quality of the university and we must solve that by regulating the university administration,” he said, adding that any European university, including Armenia, hasn’t taken on the responsibility of taking care of the university. As for the announcements made by rector of the European Academy Victor Martirosyan, claiming that the German and Italian Embassies have financially supported the academy, L. Mkrtchyan said:
“Those same people, for example the Italian Embassy workers, write that they have nothing to do with that. Armenia has been given grants for supplying universities with computers, etc. But the universities haven’t taken on the responsibility for the funding or the program.”
In closing, Mkrtchyan said that the European Academy is not responsible for joining any political party; it is only responsible for the education sector.
“We’re only dealing with the quality of the university and I don’t see any personal issue here.”