EDUCATIONAL ISSUES OF THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN CZECH REPUBLIC
31.10.2011
Tigran Ghanalanyan Expert of the Center for the Armenian Studies,
“Noravank” Foundation
The Armenian community in Czech Rep. was established in the late
1980s and early 1990s. Today the number of the Armenians in Czech
Rep. is about 10 thousand. Here the top-priority challenges are
preservation of the Armenian identity, development of the national
culture, strengthening of relations with motherland. In this aspect
the study of the educational issues of the Armenian community in Czech
Republic and increasing the role of the potential of the Armeniancy
in their setting is topical.
In 1990s, alongside with the establishment of the Armenian community in
Czech Rep., the issue of settlement of the educational problems became
ripe. The Armenians who established there initiated the organization of
the Armenian education. The Armenian Saturday schools were established,
which, naturally, could not provide Armenian children the education
they could receive in the motherland.
Nevertheless, that was a notable initiative in the community life. The
Saturday schools aimed to acquaint Armenian pupils with their mother
tongue, Armenian history and culture. In this aspect the establishment
of the Armenian Saturday School in Prague was of great importance.
The Saturday school of the Armenian community in Prague. – In 1996
the Armenian Saturday school was established in Prague; it started
working in 1997. Ararat Nikoghosyan played an important role in this
initiative1. From the date of the establishment the person responsible
for the school is Armen Koloyan. The teachers who established the
school were Alla Yesayan and Karine Paryan. In different years Sona
Atanesyan, Siranush Tonyan, Hripsime Nalbandyan taught there. The
school is working on the territory of Karlovi University. Not only
members of the Armenian community in Prague but also some friendly
Czech scholars played an important role in the establishment of the
school. The following stuff is running the school: the principle of
the Armenian Saturday school in Prague – Armen Kaloyan, teacher of a
senior group – Larisa Grigoryan, teacher of an intermediate group –
Angela Dadayan, teacher of a junior group – Tsovinar Beybutyan2.
In the Armenian Saturday school in Prague lessons begin on the second
Saturday of September and are over on Saturday prior to the May 28th.
The lessons are conducted only on Saturdays – maximum 40 lessons are
conducted per year, in practice 35-37 lessons are given. A number
of events devoted to the independence day of Armenia, Armenian army,
December Earthquake, Armenian Genocide, the First Republic of Armenia
and etc. are arranged at school.
Studying at school is free. It should be mentioned that the school
receives no financial support from the state and it works thanks to
the voluntary donations of the parents of the pupils. The expense
account of the funds spent is turned in to the parents. Pupils pay
only for the text books brought from Armenia but this sum is repaid
after the books are returned. If the problems with funding are settled
it would be possible to essentially raise the level of education and
overcome some difficulties.
The curriculum of the Saturday school includes Armenian language,
literature, conversation on historical subjects, religious courses,
singing and dancing as well as embroidery.
Children from the Armenian community in Prague mainly visit Czech,
in some cases Russian and American schools. It should be mentioned
that there, as well as at breaks at Saturday schools, Armenian children
mostly speak Czech, as well as Russian and English. This comes to prove
that the format of teaching Armenian in the Saturday school cannot
handle one of the main challenges the Armenian community faced –
the issue of the Armenian language. It is obvious that the Armenian
language is losing the ground and is not used by the members of the
Armenian community even when they associate with each other. This is
a vital factor for the existence of the Armenian community in general
and it is getting more and more menacing. In order to face those
challenges the Saturday school has chosen the words of celebrated
Armenian writer Khachik Dashtents as a motto: “There are languages
around us old and new, around us people speak other languages, so
let’s speak out mother tongue, brother”3.
The cooperation of the Saturday school of the Armenian community in
Prague with educational institutions from both Diaspora and Armenia is
also important. In this aspect participation of the school teachers A.
Dadayan and L. Grigoryan in the 4th Pan-Armenian Educational
Conference played a certain role. Let us mention that 83 teachers
from Diaspora and 41 teachers from Armenian and NKR participated
in the forum4. Participation of the teachers from Diaspora in such
conferences is of great importance. In particular, participation of
the Armenian schools of such small communities as in Czech Rep. is
of greater importance, because the Armenian schools there, unlike
the countries with bigger Armenian community and numerous schools,
has a bigger demand for cooperation and studying the experience of
organizing Armenian education.
In 2010 the Saturday school of the Armenian community in Prague
applied5 for participation in “Best Armenian Educational Institution”
contest arranged by the Ministry of Diaspora and World Armenian
Congress. It proves that the representatives of the Armenian Saturday
school acknowledge the importance of integration and cooperation with
the pan-Armenian educational system. Though the Saturday school of
the Armenian community in Prague did not win any prize6, but the fact
of participation proves cooperation and involvement of the school in
the pan-Armenian educational processes.
The cooperation of the Saturday school with not only other educational
institutions of the community but also with different community
organizations is important. Among such examples is the participation
of the representatives of the school in the event devoted to the
10th anniversary of the European “Orer” magazine. At this event a
speech was delivered by the teacher of the school L. Grigoryan. The
principle of the school Armen Koloyan emphasized that the magazine
has always stood by the school and overcoming numerous difficulties it
managed to become the only media covering community life7. Cooperation
with both press and other community organizations contributes to the
normal work of school. Such cooperation promotes the development of
both separate community organizations and community in general.
The successive assistance of Armenia to the Saturday school in Prague
is also essential. In this aspect the appraisal of the work of the
teachers means a lot. Handing of certificate of merit to the teacher
of the Saturday school L. Grigoryan by the Ministry of Diaspora is a
manifestation of such an appraisal8. The appraisal of two-year work
of the teacher will animate teachers working at school, as people
who work for the sake of the Armenian culture abroad can see that
they are noticed. And in February 2011 the advisor of the Minister
of Diaspora of Armenia Hakob Asatryan handed to the principle Armen
Koloyan a Certificate of Merit signed by the Minister Hranush Hakobyan
for participation in the pan-Armenian contest and contribution to
the work of preserving Armenian culture and language9.
The school participates in annual national youth and juvenile festivals
in Czech Rep. Among the national minorities in Czech Rep.
the Armenian community is also known by its Saturday school10. Thus,
the Saturday school carries out works to represent Armenian community.
This is caused by the improvement of the conditions and widening of
the sphere of activity of the community organizations.
The Saturday school of the Armenian community in Prague is the main
educational institution of the Armenian community in Czech Rep. which
is conditioned by the fact that Prague is both the capital of the
republic and center of the Armenian community in the country. The
school plays priority role in the settlement of the educational issues
of the community. The cooperation of the school with other educational
institutions and community organizations is crucial. The Saturday
school has a great potential for the development and its efficient
usage is an indisputable imperative for the Armenian community in
Czech Rep.
Armenian Saturday school in Brno – On October 6, 2007 the Armenian
Saturday school was opened in Brno; the initiative was put forward by
the Shepherd of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Czech Rep. Barsegh
Pilavchyan. The Armenian Saturday School in Brno aims not only
to teach children the Armenian language and history but also to
acquaint children with Armenian songs and dances. The following
subjects are taught at school – Armenian language and literature,
Armenian history, history of the Armenian Apostolic Church, dance
and music. Such a choice of subjects may become an important boost
for preserving Armenian culture and language in the community. Taking
into consideration tight situation with education in many communities
and scantiness of the subjects taught in the schools, the variety of
the subjects at Brno Saturday school can be considered satisfactory.
However, it would be unrealistic to expect that teaching once a week
several subjects would provide all-round Armenian education.
On the opening day 30 Armenians were registered. It is worth mentioning
that not only Armenians living in Brno but also the representatives of
the Armenian Saturday school in Prague were present at the opening
ceremony. In particular, the editor-in-chief of “Orer” magazine
was present. Undoubtedly cooperation of the Armenian Saturday
school in Brno with the Armenian Saturday school in Prague is also
essential. This cooperation has began since the opening day of the
school in Brno, when Archimandrite Barsegh Pilavchyan handed to the
teachers of a newly open school text-books sent from the Saturday
school in Prague11.
The continuing cooperation of the Armenian schools in Prague and
Brno will contribute to both the development of those two educational
institutions and progress of the education of the Armenian community
in Czech Rep. This cooperation contributes to the development of not
only the educational area but also strengthening and development of
the community in general.
Brno Armenian Saturday school should base on the experience of Prague
Saturday school. The way passed by the Saturday school in Prague for
about one decade should be an example for the school in Brno.
Providing participation and integration of the school in the Armenian
educational processes is of vital importance for this school either.
The Armenian Saturday school in Brno has great potential for
development which can be efficiently used by the Armenian Saturday
school in Prague, Armenian community in Czech Rep. as well as by
different organizations in Armenia and Diaspora.
>>From the point of view of settlement of the educational issues
of the Armenian community in Czech Republic cooperation between
Armenia and Czech Rep. in educational, cultural and other spheres
is important. In this aspect the “Agreement between the Government
of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the Czech Republic
on Cooperation in the Areas of Culture, Education, Science, Youth
and Sport” concluded on December 10, 2010 is remarkable12. There a
separate article is devoted to education. We find it necessary to
cite here the 4th article devoted to the education:
1.Direct cooperation between schools on all the levels; 2.Exchange of
information, pedagogical and methodic publications and other training
documentation; 3.Teaching of Czech and Armenian, mainly by means
of the training materials, sending teachers and organizing lessons
about the languages and cultures of the nations of the parties to
the agreement; 4.Exchange of the students and lecturers of the higher
educational institutions13.
The comprehensive usage of the experience of the Armenian education
in the Armenian schools in Czech Rep. will contribute to the exchange
of the experience. Spreading of the training materials may solve
the problem of scantiness of the training literature in the Armenian
schools. Learning Armenian will promote strengthening of the positions
of the Armenian language, which has been losing ground recently,
in this country. And the cooperation between the higher education
institutions may set connection between the Armenian students studying
in the Czech universities and their motherland, as well as favour
their participation in taking challenges the Armeniancy faces.
Setting of the aforementioned issues will promote not only resolution
of problems the Armenian community in Czech Rep. faces but it will
also favour strengthening of the positions of the local Armenians
and rise their authority.
Cooperation with pan-Armenians organizations plays important role in
the educational life of the Armenian community. In this aspect meeting
of the director of the virtual college of the AGBU Yervand Zorian
with the members of the Armenian community in Prague is remarkable
14. At the meeting Y. Zorian told about the one-year activity of the
virtual college; he underlined the possibilities of the participation
of the Armenians from Czech Rep. in this programme. Besides other
AGBU educational programmes were discussed. Such meetings promote
involvement of the Armenians from Czech Rep. in community and
pan-Armenian educational issues.
The educational issues of the Armenian community in Czech Rep. are
underlined in the context of the educational issues of the Armenian
Diaspora in general either. In particular, the level of command of the
Armenian language in the Diaspora, particularly, in Czech community,
causes serious concern. The editor of “Orer” magazine Hakob Asatryan
also covers the educational issues in the Armenian community in Czech
Rep. said that few wrote and read in Armenian. In Prague 30 pupils
attend Armenian Saturday school “which is very few for the Armenian
community which numbers 6000 members” 15.
It should also be mentioned that the usage of the modern information
technologies in setting the aforementioned issues is a necessity. It
is obvious that the available resources are not used sufficiently. The
observation of “Orer” editor H.Asatrayan concerning the programmes of
the TV channels from Armenia is an evidence of the aforementioned. He
especially mentions the importance of using the resource of the TV
channels in educational issues in the places in Czech Rep. where
Armenians live and where they do not have Armenian schools16. It
is obvious that the educational programmes, which are scanty on the
Armenian TV, may play an important role in preserving the Armenian
culture and language. Such programmes will contribute to both learning
of the Armenian language and acquisition of the Armenian culture and
civilizational peculiarities in Diaspora.
Importance is attached to the coordination of the works of the
community organizations; in this regard Hakob Asatryan said: “Of
course, there is the Saturday school, there is a priest but the
community does not have a community center, where people can gather
and this issue is being discussed now”17. Of course, cooperation
and coordination of the activity of both schools and other community
organizations will favour the development and strengthening of the
community.
The study of the educational issues of the Armenian community in Czech
Rep. allows concluding that in this aspect the whole Armenian potential
is not used. Here we speak about the consolidation of both community
potential and potential of Armenia. In this aspect it is important
to consolidate the entire community, to activate the relations of the
Armenian educational institutions in Czech Rep. with other communities
in Diaspora. Of course, the development of the relations between the
Armenian educational institutions in Czech Rep.
and various academic and educational institutions in Armenia is
of top priority. This cooperation may be of different formats –
exchange of experience, teachers’ skill upgrading in motherland,
provision of the literature needed and etc.
Underlining the importance of the Armenian Saturday schools in Czech
Rep., one should not overestimate their potential and possibilities.
It is obvious that they can satisfy the minimum needs of the
community. Thus, taking into consideration modern educational and
cultural, civilizational globalization processes, we find it necessary
to underline that for setting educational issues of the Armenian
community in Czech Rep. quite new approaches and organizations, which
can face the new challenges, are necessary. We first of all mean the
usage of the huge opportunities granted by the Internet for setting
educational issues. The aforementioned issue is characteristic of not
only Armenian community in Czech Rep., but also of other communities
in Diaspora.
The educational issues of the Armenian community in Czech Rep., with
all their peculiarities, are a part of the educational issues which
are characteristic of other Diaspora educational institutions. Thus,
they demand for both local approach, which take into consideration the
peculiarities of the Armenian community in Czech Rep., and systematic
approach which regards the educational issues of the whole Diaspora.
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