YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. The education reforms in Artsakh are entering a new phase, with President Arayik Harutyunyan announcing that higher education in the country’s public educational institutions will be free of charge from September 1.

Harutyunyan’s Free Fatherland party spokesperson Vahram Poghosyan told ARMENPRESS that the decision will be retroactive, meaning it will most probably also cover students who are already enrolled in the institutions.

He said there will be strict admission terms.

“The purpose of the program isn’t only in solving a social issue. The government is trying to make the demands for education stricter, serious attention will be paid to the qualitative features of the academic staff and overall the increasing of the level of education”, Poghosyan said.

Public educational institutions will no longer depend on tuition fees of students and the government will ramp up funding.

“Private universities must try to gain competitive advantage, be able to deliver tuition in conformity with higher, modern educational demands. We must have the kind of education system when graduates will have relevant professional high qualification”.

The government is also seeking to strengthen colleges.

Artsakh currently has two public universities and four public colleges.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan