AMBASSADOR AND MINISTER OF EDUCATION DISCUSS PRIORITIES

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000880 DEPT FOR EUR/PPD-MALPERN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV SCUL SOCI KPAO AM SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR AND MINISTER OF EDUCATION DISCUSS PRIORITIES -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. On October 27, the Ambassador and the Minister of Education and Science discussed priority areas of access and quality for all and concurred on the necessity of cooperation to promote development of Armenian society through educational reforms. The Minister stressed the role of education as an investment that promotes Armenia's development and integration with the world. The Ambassador raised the problem of military draft exemptions for male college students who participate in U.S. student exchange programs. The minister offered some procedural help but no real solution to the problem. End Summary. -------------- FOCUS ON ACCESS AND QUALITY -------------- ¶2. The Ambassador paid an introductory call on Minister of Education and Science Spartak Seyranian on October 27. The Minister spoke about current reforms in the high school system, the necessity to improve equal access to a quality education throughout the country (especially in the provinces),and the implementation of the Bologna agreement in the higher education system. He stressed the importance of quality at all levels and highlighted the creation centers of excellence in different regions of Armenia. Even though Armenians traditionally have put great value in education, the Minister feared they now focus more on obtaining a "piece of paper" than on the quality of the education they receive. Seyranian hoped that, with the current reforms, a new demand for quality in education will arise and in turn promote positive change in the society. ¶3. Deputy Minister Bagrat Yesayan focused on the high school curricula reforms, the content of high school programs, and the adoption of a credit system at the high school level to complement the one being adopted in higher education. He spoke about the challenges in promoting inclusive education for children with special needs as well as the effort to offer those students who do not qualify for university admission the option of vocational education and training. -------------- EXCHANGES AND THE MILITARY DRAFT -------------- ¶4. Minister Seyranian thanked the U.S. Embassy for the number of exchange programs and other kinds of investments in the educational sector of Armenia. He expressed his appreciation for both the financial support to the students and the exchange of experience and expertise, which he felt to be extremely valuable in the reforms process. The Ambassador then raised the draft exemption issue for one of the Muskie program participants and, more generally, the need to find a mechanism to simplify the process that allows male applicants to USG programs to maintain their student (draft exempt) status. The Ministry representatives expressed interest in helping the Embassy but offered no real solution to the unwieldy and inadequate system now in place. ¶5. Note. Compulsory military draft applies to every Armenian male from the age of 18 to 27. The U.S. Embassy signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education and Science (2006) to be able to apply to the Armenian government with a request to exempt male finalists from military service for the length of the program. However, the exemption is a lengthy process, which does not guarantee an exemption for the whole duration of the program since the Defense Ministry operates on its own timetable. The U.S. Embassy still has trouble recruiting male applicants who fear losing their exemption from military service if they participate in our exchange programs. Only around 25% of undergraduate applicants and 30% of Muskie applicants are males. End Note. -------------- -------------- STRATEGY PAPER - MORE THAN JUST SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT -------------- -------------- ¶6. The Ambassador asked about the status of the USAID-supported strategy paper for education for 2008-2015. The Minister joked, "these plans give us something to talk about with foreign ambassadors." More seriously, Seyranian stressed that such documents create a forum for discussion and improve the content and direction of policies. "Creating a paper is not an end in itself, it is an evolutionary process to reflect changes in the society," he said. The Minister stressed that different parts of the draft strategy are implemented to some extent in various ways; for example, the idea of creating centers of excellence comes from the strategy paper. Yovanovitch