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In 2023, the plan of actions arising from the law on approving the State Programme for the Development of the RA Education until 2030 was approved, with clear targets and a schedule at all levels of education. The RA Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan said this at the extraordinary sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport on March 22, introducing the relevant parts of the report on the process and the results of the implementation of the Government programme of the Republic of Armenia (2021-2026) in 2023 for debate. The Minister presented in detail the work carried out in the reporting year, answered the various questions of the deputies, gave clarifications.

In particular, more than 45 strategic programmes have been implemented within the framework of the State Program for the Development of the RA Education until 2030. From September, the new state criterion of general education was implemented in the 2nd, 5th, 7th grades of all schools: Project-based learning, groups and research work have become mandatory.

“The mechanism of the category of teachers has been linked to the teacher’s teaching skills. According to the new mechanism, 101 pedagogues received a category, including the highest one with a 50% bonus for the first time,” the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport mentioned.

Since September, the salary of teachers of natural sciences and informatics has increased by 25%. Since September, the salary of around 3.000 teachers of 64 rural schools with up to 100 students has also increased, whose rate has increased from 71.700 AMD to 115.300 AMD on average.

Zhanna Andreasyan also presented the work of the process of introducing universal inclusive education in preschool educational institutions. The programme of construction, reconstruction and overhaul of 500 kindergartens is in process. Construction works have been completed in 145 institutions, and are in progress in 90.

For the first time, the entrance exams were conducted in two stages, as a result of which the exam stress and tension of the applicants decreased.

The concept of the ‘Academic City’ project was developed and approved. The German architectural firm has started the development of the master plan. Transport ways to reach that city are also being discussed.

In the field of science, in 2023, a new procedure for the certification of scientific professionals was elaborated and implemented, which defined new qualitative and quantitative requirements comparable to international standards.

The financing of the above sector, including the military industry, amounted to about 36 billion AMD, which is 6.2 billion AMD or 20.8% more than the amount of funding for 2022. Referring to the indicators of the sports sector, the Minister noted that in 2023, the Armenian athletes won 445 medals: 125 gold, 127 silver and 193 bronze. This is 44.9% more than the 2022 figure. Women won 25 of the medals.

18 educational and cultural programmes were implemented in the field of culture.

The Committee took note of the report.