ArmInfo. Budget allocations for education in 2018, compared with the current year, are planned to reduce by 0.6% or 71.4 million AMD. This is stated in the draft budget for 2018.
According to the document, the sphere of education in 2018 will receive 126,714.1 million AMD (without spending on science), which is equal to either 2.17% of GDP or 8.65% of the state budget expenditures. Including, the main part of the expenses will be directed to the general education sphere. Expenses here decreased by 2.184.7 million AMD or 2.9% to 74.237.1 million AMD. At the same time, saving only on the line of reduction of non-staff will make 3.275.3mln AMD.
Optimization of expenditures also affected the program on inclusive education - by 10% or 334.7 million, the appropriations of 17 special institutions for the organization of training of 1.8 thousand pupils will be reduced, instead of the early 2 thousand.
In the line of professional training it is envisaged to send 2.727.3 million AMD against 2158.3 million AMD this year. The initial vocational training will be allocated for 66.9 million AMD or 2.6% more than in 2017 - up to 2.660.9 million AMD. The secondary vocational education will receive 431.3 million AMD or 5.1% less than in the current year - 8.026 million AMD. It is envisaged to send 12,069.1 million AMD for higher vocational education, increasing financing by 0.3% or 32.4 million AMD.
Out-of-school upbringing will be financed by 2.1% or 89.9 million AMD less than in 2017 - 4.292.9 million AMD, and 1,259.4 million AMD will be allocated through "additional education" - by 9.9% or 138.1 million AMD less appropriations for the current year.
At the same time, expenses for repair and construction of sports facilities were increased by 1.591.8 million AMD.
With the support of the World Bank, it is planned to implement a program to improve the quality of education. Within the framework of the program it is expected to attract loan funds in the amount of AMD 2,124.2 million, co-financing of Armenia will make 458.6 million AMD. The program on strengthening seismic protection of schools with the support of the Asian Development Bank will continue to be implemented> it is expected to attract loan funds in 2.818.5 million AMD, co-financing of the RA will make 587mln AMD.