Experts speak of teachers’ role and problems in Armenia
15:41 * 05.10.14
October 5 is World Teachers’ Day.
In an interview with Tert.am, Deputy Director of the National
Institute of Education Anahit Bakhshyan, and Armenia’s ex-minister of
education Ashot Bleyan spoke of teachers’ role and problems in
Armenia.
Ms Bakhshyan congratulated all the teachers who set a good example to children.
“The government must appreciate teachers’ work and, paying a handsome
salary to them, demand high-quality work, knowledge and skills – as
well as inculcation of values in children – from them,” Ms Bakhshyan
said.
According to her, the vicious circle in Armenia’s education system is
that the government does not appreciate teachers’ work or call to
account the people responsible to ensure efficient work. The result is
that teachers, “sponsored” by some headmasters, do their work anyhow.
“No one is held responsible for low-quality education now because
there is no clear concept of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ teachers,” Ms Bakhshyan
said.
With respect to retaining of teachers, she said that 40,000 teachers
attend refresher courses in Armenia once in five years, but they are
not actually properly certified in conformity with requirements.
“This is the result of Armenia’s politicized education system.
Education must be depoliticized,” she said.
Speaking of the symbol of World Teachers’ Day, Mr Bleyan told Tert.am
that teachers need to be united especially on holidays.
According to him, teachers are the most unprotected social group.
“Each new school year may prove the last for a teacher,” he said.
Teachers often lose their jobs not because of someone’s order, but
because of demographic problems, low birthrate, emigration. At any
moment a teacher may lose his or her job. The law does not regulate
teachers’ work – either their salary or working hours, extra pays as
civil servants,” Mr Bleyan said.
Teachers’ salaries have remained unchanged over the last two or three
years nor is any rise envisaged in the mid-term expenditure program.
“A teacher must not stop learning. Self-education is each teacher’s
‘chief instructor.’ Of importance are educational workshops and
debates rather than events organized once in three years,” Mr Bleyan
said.
Armenian News – Tert.am