  Yerevan: Students stage sit-in to demand Minister’s resignation November 7, 2019 - 14:50 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Students of the Yerevan State University are staging a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, demanding the resignation of the Minister, Arayik Harutyunyan. They are urging students from other universities and educational institutions to join their protest which comes on the heels of a proposed draft law that would see the removal of the compulsory courses of Armenian language, Armenian literature and Armenian history from university curricula. The demonstrators cited the police cordon between themselves and the Ministry building as a proof of a “water divide that separates the Minister from education, students and schools.” The Ministry said recently that it is going to draft a proposal that would make the three courses optional, particularly for students who do not major in humanities. But when the students of YSU’s Faculty of Armenian Philology took to the streets to protest against the proposed change, the Ministry issued a statement, according to which the draft law grants wide autonomy to universities to determine the content of educational and scientific programs. “Therefore, once the draft law is approved, the scientific council of each university can decide whether these subjects must or must not be taught in all faculties,” the statement reads. Most faculties in Armenian universities require students to pass an Armenian language exam in order to be enrolled.   Top stories The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has visited the southern Armenian province of Syunik, the Defense Ministry reported on March 18.   Partner news |  Latest news Armenia-Azerbaijan: Experts launch work on determining coordinates  Expert groups from the countries started the process of determining the coordinates based on geodetic measurements.Yerevan says did not expect CSTO in peacekeeping role Pashinyan has declared that the CSTO would be expected to come to the Armenia-Azerbaijan border as an ally of ArmeniaHenrikh Mkhitaryan wins Serie A title with Inter Inter Milan midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan admits that the team have long been imagining clinching Serie A against AC Milan.Armenia not going to war over Karabakh, says Pashinyan Armenia is not preparing to fight a war for Nagorno Karabakh, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview. |
