Chaired by Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, the government continued to discuss the prospects of development of information and communication technologies (ICT).
The meeting reviewed a number of programs and ideas, including in particular the establishment of a data center on the basis of cooperation between the State and the private sector, expanding the scope of activities on electronic platforms, building technology centers in the provinces (for example, in Gyumri and Vanadzor), and other issues.
Taking note of the proposals voiced at the meeting, the Head of Government instructed the Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology to discuss them with the stakeholders as shortly as possible in order to develop a program of activities. At the same time, the Premier stressed once again that he was looking forward to programs aimed at qualitative changes in the IT sphere, which might produce tangible results and boost the sector in the short run.
“I am pinning my hopes on your sector as we need a qualitative leap, a drastic change in the quality. First of all, account has to be taken of the purely basic features. Secondly, we need to consider the availability of well-trained and knowledgeable staff. The third and fourth reasons are associated with these ones. If you expect us, the government officials, to make a revolution in this sphere, you should know that we are not the ones to make a breakthrough. But in order to encourage active and profit-seeking people, we must direct all our subsidies toward the successful. I want you to formulate such ambitious programs as may change the sector,” Karen Karapetyan said.
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Touching upon the existing bottlenecks, the Prime Minister singled out the market demand for skilled professionals. In response to the proposal to introduce a system of engineering education in secondary schools, Karen Karapetyan noted that strategically it would be right to start with the schools, but in order to achieve a quick return, we should embark upon short-term and substantive programs. In this context, issues of educational system reform and the effectiveness of relevant programs were discussed.