Tuesday, January 9 2024 17:57

ArmInfo. Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (MESCS) of Armenia Zhanna Andreasyan received teachers with secondary vocational education who did not get the opportunity to continue their pedagogical activities in public educational institutions, considering the requirements of the Law "On Universal Education" and the results of voluntary certification. Previously, the above-mentioned teachers held a protest action in front of the Ministry building.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Education and  Science, emphasizing the merits and contribution of teachers with  many years of experience in the education system, Andreasyan recalled  that back in 2010 the state established a requirement for higher  education for all teachers by the Law "On Universal Education".

"For this purpose, a certain period was given, which was already  extended once in 2018. Many teachers with secondary vocational  education in the meantime received higher education and solved the  problem.  Last year, taking into account this requirement of the law,  we provided an additional opportunity to teachers, realizing that  perhaps for objective reasons, many did not succeed or could not  achieve the task of obtaining higher education. As a result of  voluntary certification, many teachers with secondary professional  education, who had to be fired since August of last year, continue  their pedagogical activities today. No new requirement has been set,  by fulfilling the requirement of the law, we do not want to give up  the potential of our experienced teachers, because this issue is also  important for us," Andreasyan said. The Minister of Education  emphasized that the state is ready to support teachers with secondary  vocational education in obtaining higher education, offering  compensation for tuition fees from the state if they have such a  desire. In particular, teachers were asked to send their data to the  Ministry of Education and Science, indicating what kind of education  they have and in what areas they want to continue higher education.  After collecting and verifying the data, a draft government decision  will be prepared to organize the reimbursement of training costs for  these specialists.

Zhanna Andreasyan also suggested that teachers consider, in the short  term, the possibility of filling vacant positions in educational  institutions that do not require higher education. In particular, we  are talking about the positions of librarian, laboratory assistant,  operator, and preschool teacher. To this end, in the near future the  Ministry of Education and Culture will send a circular letter to the  Yerevan mayor's office and the governors of the regions of the  republic, in which it will propose to consider the possibility of  including teachers with secondary vocational education in these  positions, if their professional abilities and skills meet the  requirements for this position.

She also expressed her readiness to further discuss the issue of  appealing the results of voluntary certification of teachers with  secondary vocational education - once again considering in detail the  explanations given earlier.

This morning, a group of teachers with secondary vocational  education, who lost their jobs in December last year due to the fact  that they did not pass the mandatory certification threshold,  gathered near the building of the Moscow Educational and Cultural  Center. They demanded that they, like teachers with higher education,  first be sent to advanced training courses, and then given another  chance to pass certification.