– Can we insist that our education system is in crisis?
– Definitely yes. Education is the most expensive element of the economy development of the country. And when we speak about that element in the aspect of the institutional union with other elements we don’t have the right not to consider the reconciliation and the international recognition factors. This means that the education system must be integrated with the international education system. If we agree that we apply the international experience, science and technologies of foreign countries then we appear in conditions when our science and education level must coordinate with the international one and provide quality to the rest of the world. Otherwise we will stay apart from the general system and won’t reconcile with those in the institutional aspect.
– Is the reason of that the inappropriate education reforms of the past 15 years or is that just a national transition process?
– This is a provocative question. The thing is that both of the approaches are right. Till the middle of the 90s there was no time to think of the education matters. There were no resources; there were no means at all and we kind of saying obeyed the inertness and were silent.
– Does this mean that the system wasn’t being reformed and instead degraded?
– Absolutely nothing was being done. The system was fully ruined. All the negative factors of our society were reflected in the education both in the secondary and high schools.
– Can we separate the moment when we were revived and started to be involved in the reform process?
– No. I think that we haven’t overcome it yet. There are rumors; certain organizational stuff is being done. Seminars are being held, there is funding, certain organizations receive foreign grants for the implementation of the Bologna Protocol. The last three years have been remarkable with certain reforms especially in high schools. The credit system of education is being inculcated. In this process we occupy one of the leading places. This is a complex assignment, which starts from the school. But even so I think that a lot of time had been wasted in vain because it wasn’t right to ignore the system for so long. We have lost a whole generation. There has been no productive university education; neither there is school education. In this system some new structures are being formed, which are incomplete yet and negatively affect the education process.
– Thus, during the past 15 years there has been an obvious intellectual degradation of the nation…
– No, I don’t say that. Usually I say that serious amortization of human capacity has taken place in our country.
– The western economists have found a clear connection between education and the GDP. Traditionally Armenians consider themselves an intellectual nation but the GDP rate is pretty low. Why does this theory not work for us?
– As Luzhkov used to say, don’t confuse the budget of Armenia with the budget of Armenians. Similarly don’t confuse the citizens of the RA with Armenians worldwide. I have to say that the intellectual level of Armenia is pretty low compared with other states. Check out the music, which people listen to; what they speak about. Meanwhile, we must acknowledge that this nation has a huge intellectual legacy. Take a look at our chess players. It’s unbelievable that little Armenia becomes a world Olympic champion by winning serious chess-player magnate states. This is totally unclear. You see, we were able to develop chess and we didn’t need many resources for that.
– I would equalize chess-playing with intellectual capacity. As Kasparov mentioned in his game the assumption is that chess-playing requires high intellect. Unfortunately this hypothesis doesn’t have any notable evidence. Nevertheless, it is a rare example of successful cluster…
– Definitely. This achievement comes to prove that we need to show a systematic and institutional approach. Unfortunately in the education system this approach doesn’t exist at all. That is the reason why our education level is in such a miserable condition. We cannot brag ourselves.
– What do we need now to start the process – money, ideas, human capacity?
– Let me start from the point that we are fully demoralized now. Our society is immoral from head to toes. In the process of working at the university I cannot stop getting surprised to what extent we have lost the main elements of morality. We are now located in the lowest level of humanity. The ideology of the rule of money dominates in all sectors. Our reality is that people believe that they can do everything with money and nothing matters at all. One can be violent and abuse others without any feeling of conscience and humanity. People are not afraid of the law. Take a look at what’s happening in the National Assembly, in the political field, business and in all other sectors without exception. All that has a tremendous negative impact on the education. As we know that education is not only a purely economic category. It also contains an element of human behavior but in general it is a complex intersection of various factors.
– In the institutional aspect how do you think the issue of motivation must e solved? What can make the teacher be a teacher and annihilate the market relations from schools?
– First of all high salary. But it should be done in a complex way. The teacher must make much; not sufficient but what they deserve. That way the reputation of teachers will be raised. Check how high the reputation of eastern teachers is. It includes now only university professors but also school teachers, high school coaches, etc. And this approach is being passed one to one in the society. Moreover, not only do we need material resources but also moral values for that. At present the respect level of teachers in our country is impermissibly low. You won’t imagine how offensive it is when you hear the young people talking badly about teachers as the latter are badly dressed, don’t make enough money and sometimes hungry. They have become socially useless and don’t have demand. When some activity becomes disrespected and ignored the young generation doesn’t strive to follow it. It turns out that during the past years we lost many serious professionals. It means that the intellectual stratum is not being reproduced. If we put the teachers of our children in such a state it means that we don’t respect our children and the future of our country. That’s it. Take a look at the MA students, who receive 15.000 AMD stipend monthly. That is non-sense. How can one live in such conditions, be involved in science, etc? This is the awkward treatment of the state to its young elite. They are young scientists, aren’t they? And if the society stays in the same condition for the coming 5-6 years then it will mean that these young people have been cheated. They won’t have any demand in this society. Neither will they be successful in the business sector, which is moved by some strange motives. There are no efforts to develop the science because there is no money there and that way it becomes impossible for the scientists to take care of their families and make enough money to live.
– Can we claim that the western liberal values were not strengthened in Armenia?
– Can we call the current process in Armenia liberal? Of course not. There is even no trace of liberty here. In terms of economic liberty I can say that yes, Armenia is a small model of liberal market. But we are not a market economy but a sick country with a sick economy. And the sickness is that we have a monopolistic oligarchic state, where the state revenue is being concentrated and centralized in a small group. Such societies have a few differences from feudalistic states. But this doesn’t imply any liberty at all. Moreover, it’s much better to have a monopolistic state cluster than a private monopoly.
– If we duplicate the European legislation and implant in our country will we approach the European State concept?
– This is another provocative question. Of course, no. It’s unrealistic to pick what’s ready and applied in other states and consider that we are one like that. But I believe that it is the best option for the first stage. It’s the only way of development for countries like Armenia. We need to imitate the European institutions and apply those in here as we cannot afford to create our own institutions as we don’t have time and resources.
– That’s clear but is there not a hazard of imitation?
– Yes exactly. Unfortunately that’s what exactly is being done in Armenia. But I am speaking about actual importation of those mechanisms not just imitation. If the institutions don’t work here it means we didn’t succeed in importing it. By saying importation I mean incorporating those with the local mentality, peculiarities and their impact on our society. On the other hand I am sure that in the Armenian reality there are such institutions, which don’t enable us to import European standards.
– I think the only reason for that is the absence of political will.
– I cannot say that Greeks and Turks are more European people than Armenians. Thank God we can see what’s happening in those states. Why can’t we apply the same in Armenia? I can bet that if our legislation is slightly amended and corruption level is lowered we can have serious inflow of investments in our country. If Azerbaijan has oil we have Diaspora. All we need to do is use that potential and it’s not being done. Again one great imitation example.
– Imitation in the process of cooperation with the Diaspora?
– Absolutely nothing is being done.
Delovoy Express