Due to Baku’s aggression, 24.873 schoolchildren are deprived of the right to education – Minister of Educatio
he delegation led by Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia Vahram Dumanyan is participating in the 9th Ministerial Conference of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe entitled “Education for sustainable development, circular economy, sustainable infrastructure and sustainable tourism” being held in the Republic of Cyprus (Nicosia) on October 5-7.
Vahram Dumanyan delivered a report within the framework of the 9th Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe”, in which he particularly said,
“It is a great honor for me to welcome you within the framework of the ninth Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe”.
The global education crisis, which encompasses issues related to access, inclusion, quality and affordability of education, has negative consequences for the future of children and youth around the world. It slows down the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals related to education. Crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic and military conflicts have a negative impact on education.
The last crisis that had its impact on education in the Republic of Armenia was the large-scale military aggression provoked by the Azerbaijani armed forces on September 13, 2022, in some sections of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The Azerbaijani armed forces intensively bombarded the cities of Goris, Jermuk, Vardenis, Kapan and neighboring villages located in the territory of Armenia.
As a result of Azerbaijani aggression, 24,873 school children and 5,808 preschool children of 172 schools and 69 kindergartens of Syunik, Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor Provinces are deprived of the right to education. The activity of extracurricular educational institutions, colleges and universities operating in those provinces is also under risk.
We call on the international community to condemn such hostile actions of Azerbaijan, thereby contributing to the prevention of further violations of the fundamental principles of UNESCO’s mandate.
Emphasizing the role of education as a key prerequisite for the sustainable, inclusive development and universal well-being of every country, in 2022 Armenia developed the “State Plan for the Development of Education in the Republic of Armenia for the period until 2030”. It is based on the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, namely poverty eradication, gender equality, quality education, decent work for all, as well as approaches based on human rights, anti-discrimination and the principle of “leaving no one behind”, which also reflects our commitment to the current global trends in education transformation.
The goal of the Plan is to provide learners with an education that will ensure modern environmental and civic skills, employability, and a prosperous future, contributing to the full implementation of the program “Education for Sustainable Development 2030”.
We have completely revised and are introducing comprehensive general education standards and curriculum, where environmental education is of central importance.
Since the main actor in the success of educational reforms is the teacher, the Ministry is committed to taking all necessary steps to raise the traditionally high social status of the teacher in Armenian society, along with salary increases and social guarantees.
Improving the physical conditions of educational infrastructures is another important priority for access to education. The Government is committed to creating an attractive, safe and secure learning environment across the country that promotes learning and is equipped with modern digital technologies, taking into account the innovative and inclusive learning methodologies, safety standards and universal access. To achieve the above goals, we are continuously increasing education funding and will continue to ensure its progressive growth.
Once again, I would like to note that the Republic of Armenia attaches great importance to the agenda formed as a result of this conference and the commitments it assumed, and expresses readiness to transform education in order to fully achieve the goals of Sustainable Development Goals, because it is not possible to achieve stability if we do not unite, cooperate and do not be in harmony with ourselves, environment and the planet.”