Lately, not only in Armenia, but in the whole world is spoken about the necessity of the radical change in education. The information that I convey to my pupils and students as a teacher or lecturer, they can find on the internet if they want to, eventually. I should simply hint them at where and how to search for the information and most importantly – how that information can be integrated within the profession s/he has chosen.
However, the issue is not only the information, of course. For example` I do not use the knowledge received in Conservatory today at all (and I have not studied in any other higher education institution.) The specialists insist that the music helps to make the intellect more compact and organized. Perhaps that statement is correct, but let us leave it aside. The real teachers are beyond the circles of their subject and “teach” their approach towards life. I am convinced that Rafael Ishkhanyan did not teach linguistics alone and the knowledge given by Henrik Hovhannisyan was not merely on theatrics. Their former students state this exactly.
The rector of my university during my student years was a phenomenal person – Ghazaros Saryan, Martiros Saryan’s son. That man, essentially, did not have a secretary: when it was needed to take any paper with his signature to any department, he would take that paper and set off to the respective room with his soldier-like march. He explained: “I would not sit in front of the desk all day long, would I?”. Ghazaros Saryan was not concerned that his behavior would seem “non-competent” or “not appropriate to the leader”. And inasmuch as he was not concerned with it, no one thought so.
At that time, between 1970-80, the district committee instructor with leather raincoat was already very “spoiled”, I do not speak of the higher-ranked officials. But also people opposing to the “trend” existed, they were not dissidents, they did not oppose to the Soviet authorities publicly, but set their own professional and ethical high benchmark.
Perhaps such things should be similarly “taught” in kindergartens, schools and universities. Anyway, I remember these kinds of things from Conservatory more than mere professional knowledge.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
