“Dear guests,

As President of the National Assembly I am glad to greet you for the discussion on such important theme – the reforms of the education sphere and the strategic challenges.

In the 5^th century B.C., Diogenes genuinely said that the foundation of every state is the education of its youth. Perhaps, let me edit a little this idea. The foundation of every state is the education of its citizens. And the very education is to shape real citizens. The very education is that it shall be the engine of the development agenda of the Republic of Armenia, which will let not only come along with the world developments, but also go forward in the future.

Speaking about the reforms in the sphere of education I think that we shall be sincere with each other, affirm the problems and the challenges, fix the defects of our education system systematically deformed for many years and before going forward affirm a number of principles, and without universal contribution it will be senseless to speak about the reforms of the education sphere in the Republic of Armenia.

In Armenia the educational system should never ever serve to the interests of any party and current authorities and serving to those interests.

In the educational system of Armenia the free self-way of thinking should not be oppressed.

In the educational system of Armenia any manifestation of corruption - from nepotism to bribery – should be denied.

In the educational system of Armenia those providing education should continuously modernize their knowledge and methodology and comply them with the requirements of time.

In our century of information technologies, when soon numerous professions can disappear, and the others can face serious challenges of walking along with time, we need reviewing the knowledge which we provide the beneficiaries of the educational system in order they will not be competitive in the market not only today, tomorrow, but also after five and ten years. It is not accidental that in our vision of education great role is given to the development of especially information technologies and natural sciences, which are really considered professions of the 21^st century.

In our days the knowledge, certainly, is necessary but not sufficient. In parallel with knowledge it is equally important to develop the students’ skills. The modern education is impossible to imagine without skills of critical way of thinking, the contribution of which should become one of the priorities of our educational system.

And, of course, the values, which are considered to be the most important ones in educating a citizen of the Republic of Armenia. The educational system together with national values should be the propagator of freedom, equality and human fundamental rights. Perhaps, let me make a little correction in the very new expressed idea: freedom, equality, democracy serve as a part of our very national values. I would like to assure you that the encouragement of every mentioned values does not oppose in any way the encouragement of the other one, and the efforts are senseless: putting them in contradiction stemming from the political narrow interests.

At the end of my speech I would like to voice perhaps the well-aimed words ever heard about the education: learn, learn and learn because the very education is the most powerful weapon for changing and developing the world.”