YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenia highlights introducing anti-corruption programs, raising public awareness for preventing corruption, the chief specialist at the department of education, public awareness programs and monitoring in the Corruption Prevention Commission said in an interview to Armenpress.

Anahit Hovakimyan said the Commission plans to introduce anti-corruption education and subject programs with the study of the best international practice and via its localization in Armenia.

“Although there are anti-corruption-related courses, different informal programs in Armenia, but they are very few and do not always ensure the necessary effectiveness. The analysis of the current situation in Armenia shows that citizens very often are not aware of the anti-corruption reforms that have been carried out, and as a result they do not use them, which in its turn leads to the reduction in the efficiency of the steps taken so far”, she said.

Mrs Hovakimyan added that it is proposed to take constant steps, carry out awareness raising campaigns for public servants and broad circles of the society, as well as organize special courses to form zero tolerance to corruption phenomenon and a will for jointly fighting corruption.

The function on conducting anti-corruption education belongs to the Corruption Prevention Commission. Hovakimyan said the Commission is currently studying the international experience of preparing and implementing formal and informal educational programs, the innovations used in them and their experience for making high-quality courses.

“We decided to analyze the successful examples at a global level. Of course, they should be localized and adapted to our national and cultural features, and then to organize courses in educational institutions. We are studying the experiences of all possible anti-corruption programs. Moreover, these experiences are from such countries as Austria, UK and the United States”, she said.

According to her, the anti-corruption education could serve as a mean for preventing corruption as the lack of public awareness in this field forces to pay attention on its necessity in Armenia.

“The implementation of educational programs will form a negative attitude towards corruption within the society, will contribute to citizens’ demonstrating right behavior, forming a demanding approach among citizens, as well as to the reduction of corruption cases in the long-run”, Anahit Hovakimyan said.

She said it is supposed that there will be classes in universities relating to anti-corruption content and strengthening of integrity. “Trainings will be organized for teachers”, she said.

As for the international cooperation in this direction, Hovakimyan highlighted the cooperation with the UN’s GRACE initiative (Global Resource for Anti-Corruption Education and Youth Empowerment). “It gives us an opportunity to exchange teaching materials on anti-corruption and strengthening integrity, to get acquainted with the UN experience in this field. We also have an invitation to participate in a summer school within the framework of the cooperation”, she said.

She also mentioned the cooperation and the signing of a memorandum of understanding with IACA, which will allow to organize trainings among public servants.

There are no concrete dates for the launch of educational programs, but the Commission hopes they will launch it soon.

Interview by Karine Terteryan