Epress.am News from Armenia
The parent committee of the school after Vardges Petrosyan in the city of Ashtarak in Armenia’s Aragatsotn province has announced an open-ended strike, demanding a major overhaul of the school building. The school’s pedagogical staff and the headmaster have also joined in the boycott, Epress.am was told by Anahit Ispiryan, a teacher of the history of the Armenian church.
According to Ispiryan, the school building, which was built more than 60 years ago, is in a state of extreme disrepair and needs a major renovation. What’s more, the building designed for 200 students currently houses 602 children, since theirs is the only school in the region.
“In every first and second grade there are 38 children, which is higher than the norm,” Ispiryan said. State officials keep promising to renovate the building, but they have yet to act on these promises, she added. The staff have even written an appeal letter to president Serzh Sargsyan, which, however, has remained unanswered.
“We are tired of promises; we need facts,” Ispiryan said, stressing that the staff and the parents expected real and effective steps from the authorities.