RA Government changing educational standards in Armenia`s general  education schools

ArmInfo. The RA Government is changing the educational standards in Armenia's general education schools.

At the executive body meeting on May 21, RA Minister of Education,  Science, Culture, and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan noted that the state  standard for general education has been introduced in all general  education schools in the republic for the third academic year, with  the exception of grade 12 (introduced only in the Tavush region).  During this period, based on monitoring and inspections conducted by  the Ministry and its subordinate agencies, and suggestions received  from stakeholders in the education sector-principals of general  education schools, teachers, students, and parents-the need arose to  refine the standard, provide it with clearer regulations, and ensure  greater flexibility for general education schools in planning and  implementing the educational process.

The standard's core principles have remained largely unchanged. The  core requirement and key principle of the standard are formulated as  the foundation for the comprehensive development and formation of  students' abilities, the goal of which is not only the transfer of  knowledge, but above all the development of abilities, a system of  values, skills, and attitudes. In other words, the standard is based  on the idea that the student is at the center, and education should  be aimed at shaping the student's personality, thinking, and value  system. The standard emphasizes not simply the reproduction of  subject-specific knowledge, but the development of universal and  subject-specific abilities essential in the 21st century: critical  thinking, communication skills, collaboration, creativity, etc.

Creating equal opportunities for every student in an educational  institution is essential, and the principle of inclusive education is  emphasized. A key requirement of the standard is the organization of  education based on the student's abilities, interests, and individual  development, ensuring the development of a system of values,  intellectual, social, and practical skills.  Starting in the  2025-2026 academic year, the state standard for general education  will be implemented in all grades of schools in the Republic of  Armenia, with the exception of grade 12, which will be introduced  next academic year. The cornerstone of the reforms currently underway  in the general education sector is the implementation of the new  general education standard, which ensures modern and well-equipped  school infrastructure, an inclusive and nurturing environment,  high-quality educational content, a highly qualified teaching staff,  and transparent and effective school management. The main principle  of the standard is the development of life skills and abilities  through the active involvement of students in the process of  mastering subject material.

The new standard changes approaches to teaching and learning,  focusing on students as active, independent thinkers, explorers, and  creative and collaborative individuals. The educational process  emphasizes the development of natural sciences and mathematics,  reading skills, the importance of testing acquired knowledge in  practice through project-based learning, and the acceptance of  responsibility for learning through collaboration. In addition to  knowledge, the new standard emphasizes the development of  communication, thinking, analytical, social, civic, and initiative  skills across all subjects.

In parallel with improving educational content, starting in 2021,  measures are being implemented to improve teacher qualifications,  including developing the necessary skills to convey the standard's  core principles to students. According to the results of a two-year  external independent evaluation of the standard in the Tavush region,  student academic performance increased by six months over two years,  which is, on average, twice the effectiveness of the standard's  implementation in other countries.

According to the results of the International Mathematics and Science  Study (TIMSS), fourth-grade students in Armenia improved their  mathematics proficiency, showing a 15-point increase compared to the  498 points recorded in 2019. With a score of 513 points, Armenia now  belongs to the group of countries demonstrating above-average  results. At the same time, the percentage of students failing to meet  the minimum threshold in natural sciences has decreased: 82% met the  minimum threshold, while 40% met the average threshold. A study  conducted among more than 800 children annually showed that  10-year-olds have improved their ability to silently read fiction and  non-fiction, as well as to understand, analyze, and draw conclusions  from what they read: the number of children with unsatisfactory  results decreased from 47% in 2022 to 10% in 2024.

Given that students' academic abilities and skills are primarily  developed through project-based learning, the new standards will  identify at least two projects with a clear focus on academic  performance as an important tool (starting in the 7th grade of  elementary school, at least two projects are planned for each  semester, one of which is mandatory in the areas of natural sciences,  physical education, and biology).

Another area of change concerns the revision of subjects included in  the "Physical Education and Health" area. The project envisages  expanding the content of the "Basic Military Training" course, with a  greater focus on knowledge of emergency procedures and the  development of survival skills. The current "Basic Military Training"  curriculum primarily develops concepts and practical skills related  to military sports training, while only partially developing skills  and practical abilities for other emergency situations, creating an  imbalance in the full understanding of danger and safety, as well as  the ability to overcome them. The current curriculum excludes topics  related to national security, information security, and personal and  collective security. The course curriculum also does not address the  dangers encountered in everyday life or safety issues.

The course taught in 8th grade will be replaced by a new course,  "Life Safety," with an expanded scope of study. Students will be able  to study this course beginning in 5th grade, exploring various  emergency situations, including war, in depth and acquiring the  relevant knowledge and response skills. Practical skills development  is planned for 11th grade as part of a boot camp. The inclusion of a  "Healthy Lifestyle" course in the list of subjects is also a change,  further emphasizing the importance of this component in this area.   The "Career Guidance" program will continue to function as a  mandatory course.

The next area of change concerns the rules for organizing secondary  school education using core and targeted programs. Research shows  that in advanced education systems, the academic workload of high  school students is planned purposefully, allowing students to devote  more time to studying their preferred subjects in greater depth,  focusing on their interests and preparing for university entrance  exams. Given that the structure and content of the standard are  organized so that core school provides the opportunity to study the  core content of all academic fields, education in high school is  organized to deepen acquired knowledge, foster a more systematic  understanding and knowledge, and foster interdisciplinary  connections. The proposed changes allow high school students to study  subjects outside their professional focus within integrated subjects  within core programs, as well as study their preferred subjects  within targeted programs, deepening their knowledge, skills, and  abilities and preparing for university entrance exams. Given the  importance of foreign language proficiency, the project stipulates  that all high school classes will be required to study two foreign  languages.

The teaching of the fundamentals of artificial intelligence will also  be expanded. This curriculum is currently being implemented in  approximately 40 schools with the support of the Foundation for  Armenian Science and Technology (FAST). This school curriculum is a  global innovation, and it recently won an award at an industry  competition for school curricula in the United States, the minister  noted. "We are developing a new initiative with Firebird (the  founders of a large data center in Armenia, which will be completed  in the coming months - ed.) and OpenAI," the minister stated.

Another change is being made in connection with the recently approved  option to take university entrance exams twice - in January and June.  Students who successfully pass the January exams will be required to  spend the final semester of the school year pursuing research  projects or volunteer work. In the future, Andreasyan added,  participation in such projects will be taken into account when  applying to universities.