YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Levon Mkrtchyan, minister of education and science of Armenia briefed President Sargsyan on January 18 on the current situation in the public education and higher education fields, process of reforms in the educational system, existing problems, innovations and works on making quality education equally accessible to all. The President had raised these issues during his last year visit to the Quantum college, the President’s Office told ARMENPRESS.

The Minister also touched upon the achievements in the educational field, pointing out that due to years of consistent work it was possible to maintain Armenia’s “Education Clock” intact. According to the minister, it allows Armenia to present itself worldwide as an educational area, which ranges from kindergarten to public education, higher education and science.

The minister said serious innovative education programs such as the Ararat Baccalaureate and the Dilijan education cluster have been added to the public education field, along the Physics and Mathematics schools network etc, which created a rather competitive situation.

Agreeing to the minister’s view regarding the apparent and often exciting achievements in the public education field, the President stressed that it doesn’t mean that there are no problems in the field to solve.

“The goal of the school, I think I’m telling a very obvious truth, but it’s worth repeating, isn’t only preparing an excellent scientist, doctor, teacher, astronaut or businessman, but also the supreme goal – to prepare a citizen of the Republic of Armenia with the family: patriotic, diligent and law abiding. I’ve said this numerous times, and I don’t find it unnecessary to repeat now, I think the root of all evil of mankind is lies in ignorance. In fact, I think ignorant isn’t the man who hasn’t received higher education, but he who lacks simple moral standards, who lacks simple knowledge, and this is indeed evil”, the President said, adding the country must move forward by maintaining the best and increasing the existing capacity.

“Today we must comprehensively discuss the problems of the public education field. The Ararat Baccalaureate is brilliant, the centers of excellence are brilliant, but the geography of those centers must also increase, along with its moving force”, the President said.

After the minister’s reports, the President assigned the formation of a professional group, which will include persons who designed the public education reforms project, which will present the fundamentals of the higher education system reforms in 6 months.