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“Dear participants of the parliamentary hearings,

The theme of today’s hearings refers to one of the most sensible and vulnerable issues, the general education, which even in our day globalising world, is organized and should be organized on the national basis. Naturally, the issue of national identity and Armenian identity through the Armenian language preservation, mentality of the national language and upbringing in Armenian way, always should remain as a ruling problem of state concern.

However, the challenges of being a united educational territory open as many roads before us, so many doors require to open for alternatives.

The issue is so delicate that multilateral observation is required. A task is put before us: to preserve the national look, language, heritage, avoid the next assimilation, alienation risks, and on another hand not to restrict the international cooperation, the exchange of experience of educating the generations, to be flexible, capable of quick response and competitive in the organization of education.

In this aspect, the legislative package has been thoroughly discussed with RA President Serzh Sargsyan and coalition colleagues. Taking into account the public pluralism expressed over the legislative settlement of the fulfillment of the issue, the striving of the formation of the Armenian mentality and having wish to reach equal development of qualitative national education it is proposed to review the bills presented for the second reading taking as a basis the following approaches.

1.To settle the issue only through making addenda and amendments to the law on General Education, removing from the legislative initiative package the draft law on Amending the law on the Language;

2.To define in the law on General Education ‘alternative educational programme,’ ‘authors’ educational programme,’ ‘experimental educational programme,’ ‘international educational programme’ understandings;

3.To retain the restriction of the foundation of the general educational institutions implementing alternative educational programme.

The education with alternative and international programmes should be built on the basis of the formed Armenian mentality.

Irrespective of the general education programme and form of educational institution, the teaching of the subjects of the Armenian and in Armenian the Armenian studies for the citizen of the Republic of Armenia should be compulsory and comply with the requirements of the state educational standard, as it is defined in the law. I think this can create a field of opportunities for Diaspora, for getting education in the Motherland and gradually turning to education in Armenian way.

I emphasize the circumstance that the state cannot create, found schools with international programmes, and the state means are not laid down on those programmes. It means that 1400 schools of general education continue to function exclusively on the basis of the Armenian way.

I think that any striving of progress can be justified if the perspectives and consequences are visible. I am sure that today’s discussions, first of all, will be directed to their revelation.”