YEREVAN (Arka)—A meeting presided over by Armenia’s Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian was held in Yerevan on Wednesday to discuss the development of information and telecommunication technologies, the government press office reported.
The premier confirmed readiness to provide government support for development of the sector, preparation of highly skilled specialists and implementation of new programs.
A program is planned to launch software development, microelectronics and telecommunication classes in Armenia’s high schools, says the report. School laboratories will be equipped and teachers will receive training. Private companies have expressed willingness to make capital investments in the program.
The premier welcomed the program and once again said development of information and telecommunication technologies is a government priority.
Robotics study groups will be launched in all schools in Yerevan, executive director of Armenia’s Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE) Karen Vardanyan told reporters Friday.
Initiated by the UITE, there are currently some 60 after-school robotics study groups in Yerevan schools.
A complex approach towards engineering education is used in very few countries and Armenia is one of them, Vardanyan said.
The program for opening engineering study groups in all schools across Armenia will be submitted to the government within the next two weeks, he said. The aim is to make it a mandatory class like chess, he added.
According to expert, the introduction of robotics laboratories in Armenian schools will require some $5 to $6 million.
Earlier, Armenia’s minister of education and science Armen Ashotyan said robotics study groups may become a new educational brand in schools if the idea is further developed, he said.
The educational program, dubbed “Robotics Starts from School,” is being implemented by the UITE in cooperation with VivaCell-MTS, the Cronimet charity foundation, World Vision Armenia, and Counterpart International Armenia.
Bravo to Armenia once again. First chess and now an engineering program. The results will certainly become visible in a few years. It is also important to continue with the idea of teaching the history of the Armenia church in Armenian schools regardless of the complaints from the US embassy regarding “discrimination” and “minority rights”. Keep up the good work Armenia and keep moving forward.
Seriously? Is the US embassy interfering in Armenian education? That is unacceptable. They should mind their own business of spying.