Education Minister Mentions “Grant-Eaters” When Asked About “History of Armenian Church” Class

Yesterday at the National Assembly, Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan refused to answer whether he was worried that the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) would make a decision against the mandatory “History of the Armenian Church” course in schools. A precedent by the ECtHR exists with Turkey about a mandatory Islam class focusing on Sunnism.

“I don’t want to answer questions constructed with the logic of ‘if this or that happened.’ I respect the national minorities' rights and they are already dealing with the defense of their rights,” said Ashotyan. Epress.am’s journalist remarked that the issue actually concerns religious minorities, to which Ashotyan responded with a question; what religious minorities are there in Armenia?

The journalist noted that she was referring to those who don’t belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, instead, for example, Protestants and Catholics. “But do they have their own schools? The educational program is decided by the Armenian government. A race formulated under pluralism needs to put up with the fact that there are different opinions, in which 99% don’t need to agree and are not agreeing with, but the opinion of the 1% needs to be accepted. C'est la vie (that’s life).” said Ashotyan.

The journalist pushed with another question, concerning the issue if there were procedures for students to opt out of the course, for example, if a parent could appeal for their child to be exempt from the course․ Ashotyan, basically, did not answer the question.

“The NGO’s still want grants. Have the old ones finished? I don’t count other people’s money,” stated Ashotyan.

When speaking about the “History of the Armenian Church,” the minister is constantly avoiding the topic of human rights violations, instead he mentions “grant-eating organizations.” Recall, that the “History of the Armenian Church” has been referenced as an issue by various human rights organizations and by the US State Department. The latter report published in 2013, stresses that Armenian law mandates public education to be secular, however, the course on the “History of the Armenian Church” is mandatory.

While Armenia’s ethnic majority is 98% Armenian, about 92% belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church. Other religious sects and religions in Armenia consist of Roman Catholics, Armenian Uniate (Mekhitarist) Catholics, Orthodox Christians, evangelical Christians, Molokans, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, Baptists, charismatic Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Yezidis (largest ethnic-religious minority), Jews, Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, pagans and others.