YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Ruling My Step Alliance lawmakers seek to adopt a bill on compensating students’ tuition fees through income tax, a legislative initiative with the purpose of encouraging work and education.

My Step faction leader Lilit Makunts and lawmaker Sisak Gabrielyan briefed reported today on the initiative.

Gabrielyan said it would be appropriate for the government to encourage the students if the latter are able to work simultaneously.

“In addition to supporting students another issue is being solved. If students desire to obtain additional education, then they can get a second degree by benefiting from the opportunity of compensating the tuition fee through income tax,” Gabirelyan said.

It is still unclear if this option will be available during under-graduate or post-graduate studies as stakeholder parties are currently discussing it. Lilit Makunts said they are discussing all concerns and proposals at the moment.

“We extremely value public discussions and proposals. Yes, there are certain concerns, and we are revising the bill by taking them into account. The employers’ concern was also interesting, I assume this relates to bringing the employed students to the legal arena. We automatically appeared in a situation when another issue is also being solved – employed students will be documented legally,” she said.

Other concerns raised by experts include the possible drop in class attendance.

Makunts said education is a priority sector for the ruling party and their policy is based on the following: on one hand to encourage the development of the individual, growth of professional skills, and at the same time for the government to be bound to provide certain guarantees and to support students.

Makunts and Gabrielyan, the authors of the bill, expect the draft legislation to be debated by the Cabinet meeting after May 20 and that it will enter parliament in June. They want the bill to be adopted by September, the beginning of the new academic year.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan