Epress.am News from Armenia
It’s high time that we started taking specific measures against money collection and other illegal activities taking place in Armenian educational institutions, the Civic Education Initiative of Parents said in a statement. The civic initiative, which was formed by a group of parents over the last year, has declared a goal to ensure that there is social justice, accountability and transparency in Armenia’s education system and that everyone has access to a quality education.
“The [graduating classes] have their examinations scheduled for late May and early June, and the parents, mostly on their own initiative, hold feasts for the examination boards. It’s time we eradicated this bourgeois and ugly phenomenon; it does not bring honor neither to the teacher, nor the school and the initiators.
“It’s high time that we started taking specific measures against money collection and other illegal activities taking place in educational institutions. The effectiveness of these measures depends not so much on the directives of the Ministry of Education, as on our – the parents’ – active and united efforts.
“For the sake of our children, let’s not blemish their education environment; we should not express our gratitude towards the teachers in the form of gifts (if it’s not a flower or a card) and other material benefits.
“Let’s keep in mind that gifts and financial aid are outright corrupt phenomena which have no place in democratic societies. Only in a courteous and unbiased educational environment can our child develop as a free, creative, legally aware, diligent and responsible citizen… Do not make teachers dependent on gifts because it keeps them from expecting and demanding adequate remuneration and social benefits from the state,” the statement reads.
The group of parents urges everyone to make consolidated efforts to ensure the elimination of the problematic phenomenon through photographing and videotaping the gifts and the feasts and sending the materials to the initiative’s e-mail address at [email protected].
“We promise to publish [the tapes and the photos]. What’s more, the evidence will help us to be more decisive in our demands for reforms. We guarantee confidentiality and anonymity of the sender; the publication will only mention the name of the school and the examination during which the photo/video was taken,” the authors say.