The President of Armenia, Serzh sargsyan has given an interview to Russian “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” newspaper, speaking about the importance of teaching Russian language in Armenia.
– About the language. A Concept of Teaching Russian Language developed by the Ministry of Education has evoked social disputes in Armenia. How do you assess that? Does its development have any relation to Armenia’s membership to the Eurasian Economic Union?
– No, it does not, forasmuch as Armenia has always been Russian-friendly and it has had a wide spread. The economies of Armenia and Russia are connected with thousands of ties, we have very close humanitarian cooperation and the knowledge of the language is simply a requirement. In Armenia the teaching of the Russian language starts from the 2nd class. The representatives of ethnic minorities and the children of Russian citizens study in their mother tongue at school: there are classes where the education is implemented in Russian completely. And today necessary steps are being undertaken to preserve the teaching traditions and the spread of Russian language around growing generation. Today projects on modernization of teaching methodologies of separate subjects and public educational programs are being implemented in the field of education of the Republic of Armenia. Specific attention is payed on not Russian language alone, but the necessity of fluency of 2-3 foreign languages, Russian language encompassed. Thus, we have developed such concepts for teaching both Russian language and other languages. Currently the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia develops certain methodology which will enable to increase the level of the education of Russian language in public schools of the country.
– Is the goal the increase of the level of education of the youth?
– Yes, we think the main emphasis should be made on the quality of the education of Russian language. Armenia has been always famous for its school of specialists of Russian language. However, Russian, as well as any given language is an ongoing developing texture. Consequently, we should make efforts to be informed of those changes, contributing new methods of education, organizing respective conferences and seminars more frequently, both in Armenia and Russia. From that perspective, no less important role have played Russian-Armenian University and Moscow State University, Lomonosov Branch in Armenia.
– When can this concept be adopted?
– I cannot mention certain dates, nothing hinders the adoption of that concept nevertheless. I think it is a matter of a few months. No sharp changes will take place by the adoption of the concept, forasmuch as, I repeat, Armenia has always been Russian-friendly.