ArmInfo.In 2019, Armenia will direct 352 million 226.5 thousand drams to the development of STEM education and robotics. This was announced by the Minister of Education and Science of Armenia, Arayik Hartyunyan on March 25 at an extraordinary meeting of the government. Funding will be allocated to "Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises" (UATE) directly, without a competition.
According to the results of the program implementation, as the head of the Ministry of Education and Science stated, it is planned to increase the number of existing engineering laboratories from 260 to about 350.
To recall, at the previous meeting of the Cabinet, the issue was discussed with a three-month delay in wages of employees of the Armat laboratories. The issue, which was not included in the agenda of the executive body, was raised by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. He said that he had received a letter from laboratory staff who complained about a three-month wage delay to the leaders of 360 groups. "How can this be?" - the prime minister wondered.
In response, RA Minister of Education and Science Arayik Harutyunyan stressed that last year employees of the Armat laboratories received direct funding through grant programs. In 2019, the financing scheme has changed, in which emphasis is placed on the results of competitions. Due to the fact that competitions have not yet been held, funding has not been provided.
As Nikol Pashinyan stated, an abnormal situation has developed that requires an expeditious solution. He demanded that members of the government prepare well thought-out decisions for meetings of the executive body. "Why haven't the tenders been held yet? It turns out that they wanted to do better, but got worse?", The prime minister asked.