A step to the precipice instead of a step forward

“What kind of a citizen will be a child, how much he will be devoted to his state, to the advantages of his nation depend on the bringing-up of the child. And the best type of bringing-up is the education in native language”, the president of the Public Council Vazgen Manukyan thinks.
The Public Council was informed about the law project “About language” and “About the general education”, concerning the changes in laws, suggested by the Ministry of Education and Science of RA, when the project had already in the National Assembly. The issue was discussed at once in the Public Council and by the majority of votes the following decision was made: “The Public Council, though paying attention to the raising the degree of teaching of foreign languages in the Universities, however considers that the changes suggested in this project aren’t advantageous for our state and nation. On the basis of the opinion expressed by the committee of the Public Council of RA concerning educational, science, art, sports and youth problems the Public Council suggests to the Government of RA to find other ways for the solution of this issue.
The Government doesn’t even try to find other ways, despite the supporters of this project, headed by the Minister of Education, try to convince public, that the establishment of such schools is necessary-in order to save an Armenian child of being competitive and of the terrible prospect of being unable “to speak to the world in the language of world”.
“A step to the precipice instead of a step forward”, Vazgen Manukyan characterizes the project of the reopening of foreign language schools in such a way, getting surprised at the fact, that among thousands problems just the problem of knowing foreign languages the new Minister decided to raisе, though there isn’t such problem in Armenia. “More than half of Armenian children live abroad, going to foreign schools”, says Manukyan, “besides a lot of young people leave for abroad to study at Magistracy and Post-graduates and returning can’t find job. So our not having specialists of foreign languages isn’t problem, the problem is that we don’t have corresponding jobs for them”.
Among the educational problems Manukyan underlines the issue of senior schools, considering that the existence of senior schools must be stopped. “I don’t think the 12-year education useful, as many problems haven’t solved yet, it’s not clear what pupils will learn in the last two years”, he says being against the test of foreign language schools in senior schools. On the other problem of the education system, on the shortening of free places, Manukyan is sure that it will add corruption. According to Manukyan the way of solving the problem of army is to make the term of army 1.5 year, and to make all 18-year-old youths join army, just after which to enter high school.
It is said that the project of opening foreign language schools in Armenia depends on the fact, that rich people, who spend great money for their children to study in abroad, now will provide it here, protecting their money. Especially it’s about some rich people’s children, learning at English schools of Tailand. According to Manukyan this problem can’t be solved in this way, as at any time and in all countries there will be people, who will send their children abroad for education not for the quality of education but for fashion. “Or it’s said that Armenians of diaspora will send their children to study here”, says Mnaukyan, “but for these people schools must be paid, as according to the law schools are financed from the budget of citizens of Armenia. I don’t think that Armenian diaspora will send their children to study in Armenia, so these facts are also false and funny”.
The president of the Public Council says that he doesn’t remember even an example of any country where foreign language schools are financed by the state budget. “For example, there are Armenian, Azerbaijani schools in Georgia, an Arabian one- in England, but it’s natural as the nations living in that country must learn their language, history and art in their own language. There are also foreign language schools for foreigners, especially for the children of foreigners, being in that country for some diplomatic issues, but this kind of schools aren’t financed from the state budget”, says Vazgen Manukyan.
According to the president of the Public Council private foreign language schools are also very few in the countries of the world, and the education in such schools is in the national language”. A state may have a political, economical or military influence on other state, but the strongest way is to influence on a child’s bringing-up”, he says, “ so each state very carefully approaches to the issue of the existence of such schools”.
Manukyan reminds that in the period of Soviet Union only Armenia and Georgia could fight and reach the fact, that Armenian was the state language. However, Manukyan mentions that there was a struggle between Russian and Armenian schools at that time as well.
The president of the Public Council thinks that the Government doesn’t realize this problem, as for most people this step is very surprising. “From the first sight it seems a progress”, he says, “and there are people in the Government who accept everything which isn’t worth of even attention”.
According to Manukyan before raising this issue it would be better to study our previous experience, the experience of other countries and all those scientific experiments, according to which foreign education isn’t right. “Before raising the degree of knowledge of foreign language it would be better to raise the degree of Armenian and to create new programs to save Armenian”, he says. “They may establish Sunday schools, where the knowledge of languages may be increased”.
According to Manukyan a large informative struggle will be extended, and the only thing is to wait until someone will influence on the majority of the National Assembly for the purpose of not accepting this law. “It’s natural that the people, who offered this project, must say that being against foreign language schools is not to be modern. Or they will bring examples of such countries, where there aren’t such schools in the reality”, says Manukyan.
About the announcement of the Minister of Education and Science about the fact that such schools will be 1%, Manukyan says, “Maybe in these schools forming 1% only 50% of pupils learn, as there isn’t a law limited the right of pupils wishing to study at such schools”.
On this issue expressed their opinions to “Ankakh” the national artist of RA Sos Sargsyan, the Minister of illumination in 1990-92 Areg Grigoryan and the composer Ruben Haghverdyan.
Sos Sargsyan said: “I am against this project, as I think a child must begin to study in his native language. It is like taking a child away from his mother”.
Areg Grigoryan said: “I fought against this phenomenon in 1991 as the president of illumination. And I haven’t changed my point of view. It is like opening our borders, language is our mental border”.
And Ruben Haghverdyan said: “We have sold everything, and if we sell our language the Republic of Armenia will disappear”.