Armenia's education system: changes, challenges, and strategic outlook

The research by Serob Khachatryan, assistant at the Chair of History, Theory and Logic of Philosophy of the YSU Faculty of Philosophy and Psychology, was published in a collection of scholarly articles titled "Ethnography of Armenia's Independence: Collapse, Reconstruction, and Practices of Transformation". We spoke with him about the main insights presented in his article, "Analysis of Demography and Problems of Education in Armenia". 

– Mr. Khachatryan, what changes have you observed in the number of schools and school students in Armenia since 1991? What challenges do under-enrolled schools pose today?

– The most significant changes in Armenia's education system are related to fluctuations in the number of school and university students. In 1991, there were approximately 600,000 school students and around 1,400 schools. Today, the number of schools is almost the same, but student enrollment has declined to about 420,000. This is despite the fact that at the time there was a 10-year education system, meaning school students now spend more years in school than before.    

Armenia currently has a 12-year education system. However, despite the longer duration of schooling, the total number of school students has decreased significantly. Over the past three decades, several public schools have been closed, while around 45 private schools have been established.

There were almost no under-enrolled schools in the Soviet years. Today, however, there are schools in Armenia with only 2, 4, 6, or 10 students. Even a school with a single student must still have a principal, subject teachers, an accountant, security personnel, and other staff.

For instance, a school in Gegharkunik Province had only two students a few years ago, and the state spent approximately 15 million Armenian drams per student annually—roughly 35,000 US dollars per student. Such expenditure is rare even in the world's wealthiest countries.

However, there is another side to the issue. If a school in a community closes, it can drive emigration or internal migration, as families face serious difficulties when children have to attend school elsewhere. 

On the one hand, ensuring quality education in very small schools is often challenging. On the other hand, Armenia faces security concerns, and preserving border villages is of strategic importance.

– What changes have occurred in the number of university students in Armenia over the past 30 years and what are the main reasons? 

– As for the number of students, it should be noted that during the Soviet period Armenia had around 50,000 university students, while in the 2000s the number exceeded 100,000. This growth was driven by the opening of private universities and the introduction of a tuition-based education system.

Later, many private universities closed, which led to a decline in student numbers. Today, Armenia has around 75,000 students and about 50 higher education institutions, 23 of which are public.

In my opinion, another reason for the decline in student numbers is that the new generation is more pragmatic. Many young people can find relatively well-paid jobs even while still in school and therefore do not see higher education as strictly necessary. 

– How does the financial dependence of universities on tuition fees affect education?

– Our higher education system is highly dependent on students' tuition fees, which creates a difficult financial situation for universities. Ideally, the number of organizations and foundations that fund tuition should increase. Additionally, allocations from the state budget could be expanded to strengthen universities' financial stability and independence.

When universities depend heavily on tuition fees, this can constrain governance processes and, in some cases, weaken oversight mechanisms.

For example, organizations that pay a student's tuition often set a condition that if the student does not perform well and fails to maintain a high GPA, the funding will be discontinued. On one hand, this allows the university to be demanding regarding academic progress; on the other hand, the student is also motivated not to lose the sponsor who is financing their education. 

This approach can also be viewed as a form of civic education. A student who benefits from such support may later, after becoming a successful professional or entrepreneur, wish to support another student's education, thereby fostering a culture of responsibility and mutual assistance.

We emphasize learning and research in universities, but universities must also serve as centers of civic education. They have three primary functions: education, research, and the formation of civic and value-based components. The combination of these three directions turns the university not only into an institution that transmits knowledge, but also into an important platform for societal development and the shaping of value systems.

– What do you mean by the civic and value-based component?

– In universities, the main focus is often on research and the transfer of knowledge through teaching. However, universities should also function as centers of civic education, where students and faculty pay attention to civic values such as honesty, justice, and responsibility.

Today's students often lack academic integrity. They rarely recognize or accept that it is wrong to present work produced by artificial intelligence or by another person as their own. Students must understand that independent work is important—even if the result is not perfect—because what matters most is honesty and the expression of one's own ideas. Unfortunately, plagiarism is observed even in some academic works.

Students should have a strong sense of responsibility. They must realize that they come to university to study and grow. In Armenia, however, this is sometimes lacking for various reasons. In many cases, these are social factors, as a significant portion of students work while trying to combine employment with their studies.

From the perspective of ensuring civic education, universities have implemented certain programs, but these have mostly operated within the framework of grants. Such programs, however, should be continuous. Without civic qualities, it is impossible to have good students, good researchers, or good lecturers.

– You have also examined the strategic issues of the education system. When did Armenia begin developing strategic programs for education development?

– During the Soviet years, our education system was entirely directed from Moscow. After gaining independence in 1991, Armenia had to develop its own educational strategies. This was not an easy process, as there was a significant shortage of specialists in the field.

Officials responsible for the education sector, who were expected to design effective strategies, struggled to respond to the new situation. The first strategic plan, developed for 2001–2005, largely remained unimplemented. For six years, our education system failed to adopt a strategic plan due to capacity shortages and problems related to strategic thinking. A new plan was adopted for 2011–2015, but again the actions implemented often did not stem from the strategy itself. Later, a program for 2016–2020 was developed and officially adopted in 2022. Here another "record" was set: the education system remained without a strategy for seven years.

– Is it effective to develop long-term strategies in a rapidly changing world?

– The world and education systems are changing rapidly. What is planned today may already be outdated in one or two years, and sometimes a strategy can even hinder action. For this reason, the ministry previously responsible for education decided to operate without a strategy and instead guide the system through the government's annual plans. In the end, however, it was decided that a strategy was still necessary.

In my opinion, it is more effective to have a document outlining the developments we expect in the education system over the next five to ten years, and then to develop annual action plans based on that vision. This approach provides greater flexibility, especially today, when the rapid development of artificial intelligence means that something new changes almost every day and requires quick responses.