Monday, November 5 2018 21:03

ArmInfo. The allocations for education and science, according to the draft budget for 2019, increased by 8.8 billion drams - from 129.3 billion drams to 138.1  billion drams, said on November 5 at a joint meeting of parliamentary  commissions on financial and credit and budget issues and on issues  of education, science and culture, said the.

Atom Janjughazyan, Minister of Finance.  In particular, according to the Acting Head of  the Ministry of Finance, the planned expenditures on the sphere as a  whole increased by 12% and, although the figure increased in nominal  terms, due to the forecasted higher GDP growth rates, the ratio of  the above expenditures to the gross domestic product decreased by  0.09% from 2.17 % to 2.08%.

Himself acting Head of the Ministry of Education and Science of  Armenia, Araik Harutyunyan, presenting the planned allocations of the  sphere, noted that in many aspects the field of education is  "overblown". "At present, there is a need to optimize the activities  of both secondary vocational and university education, as well as  science, elimination of duplicate specialties. As Harutyunyan stated,  they studied the experience of Germany, which also had a similar  bloated university system, where in the 1990s reforms were carried  out. 

German experts themselves, he admitted, were surprised that there are  more than 60 universities in Armenia. Nevertheless, the Ministry will  try to gradually eliminate all unnecessary and duplicate aspects, and  since the "Budget" This is essentially an inertial factor, and, if  necessary, it will be possible to make changes already in the process  of its implementation and the introduction of new programs.To date,  programs have been suspended with a budget of about 1 billion drams  and a more optimal system for distributing and spending these funds  is being considered.

According to the presented project, it is planned to allocate 8.8  billion drams more for the implementation of the programs scheduled  for today, next year. The increase is expected in a number of areas:   approximately twice as many funds will be spent on solving problems  in the general education sphere - in the amount of 4.3 billion drams.  Their ministry will spend on issues related to the effective  organization of the sphere, the development of STEM-education and  robotics. Primary (VET) and secondary special education in 2019 will  receive 11,685 million drams, against 10.265 million drams in the  current year.  Through Higher and postgraduate education, allocations  will be reduced by 0.2% or 20.5 million drams - to 10.351 million  drams. Within the framework of the joint program "Improving  Education" with the World Bank, 2.8 billion drams will be allocated  for overhaul in a number of schools. In the direction of providing  school students with textbooks next year, instead of the current  807.3 million drams, about 1.1 billion drams will be sent. In the  area of scientific research, technical engineering studies will  exceed expenditures by 0.6% or 67.4 million drams - up to 12, 127.3  million drams. 1,590.5 million drams will be allocated for the  implementation of the "Universal Inclusive Education" program,  against 887.8 million drams, and 2,197.3 million drams will be  allocated to the "Secured School" program instead of the current  1,170.1 million drams

In particular, according to Harutyunyan, an increase in the  efficiency of the secondary education system is expected. With the  assistance of the EU, 8 hubs of intermediate professional level will  be built in Stepanavan and Vanadzor. In technical schools and  colleges will be strengthened base for practical training.  The  results, as indicated by. Minister, will be obvious in 4-5 years. The  Ministry of Education and Science in 2019 will also try to increase  the authority of teachers. According to Harutyunyan, over the years,  the role of the teacher has been systematically and deliberately  underestimated.

As for solving the problem of the shortage of teachers in remote  areas, then, as Araik Harutyunyan said, following his visit to  Germany, today he is more calm about it. As reported by the.  Minister, even there, there is a shortage of qualified personnel in  the suburbs. "In Germany, they are trying to solve the issue through  the development of distance learning. We can also try this option,"  he noted.