“NOT DIFFICULT, BUT OVERWHELMING”
July 29, 2010
Head of Armenia’s Assessment and Testing Center Gurgen Khachatryan
says this year’s university admission exams were a success, but
believes that the level of education is low in Armenia.
The joint graduating exams began on July 1 and lasted two months.
According to the order of admissions, the results of the admissions
exams must be posted by August 5.
According to Gurgen Khachatryan, they are not rushing in order to
not make mistakes. “We are counting the vacant spots with Minister
of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan and trying to do everything
possible to admit as many applicants as possible,” added Gurgen
Khachatryan.
Last year the Assessment and Testing Center conducted assessments
in Yerevan and two provinces of the republic. The head of the center
says the inspections will be faster this year in order to constantly
see the level of education. “Unfortunately, the results of last year’s
assessment showed that the country’s level of education is not high,”
says Gurgen Khachatryan.
Many applicants are complaining about the difficulty of the tests.
According to the head of the center, there has never been an assignment
to develop difficult tests. “On the contrary, we have always taken
into account that the average grade should be between 12 and 13 and
the test developers can prove that.”
Teacher of Armenian language and literature Astghik Safaryan claims
that the tests are not difficult, “but the questions were overwhelming
and unclear.” “The questions didn’t match with the options and children
spent most of their time understanding the question.”
Parent of an applicant Gayane Sargsyan says today’s tests are easier
than the ones in her time. “But now it seems that they are not checking
knowledge. My child may know the material, but make a mistake in the
test and another child who doesn’t know the material may get it right
by chance.”
As for those applicants who haven’t presented their attestations
to the university admissions committees will not be admitted to
the universities, if they don’t submit the attestations by July 30,
as reported by press speaker for the Assessment and Testing Center
Gayane Manukyan.
From: A. Papazian