«Մեդիան հանուն կրթության» ՀԿ–ն հետևում է էթիկական լրագրության կանոններին։
Բողոքների դեպքում դիմել
Դիտորդ մարմին։
Photo: Official page of ESCS
According to the PISA 2025 results, Armenian students’ performance is significantly below the OECD average. However, the explanation published by Armenia’s Ministry of Education does not highlight the specific indicators reflecting the problems identified by the assessment; instead, it focuses on reforms already implemented and measures planned. The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, responding to the PISA 2025 (Programme for International Student Assessment) report and various assessments published on public platforms, states: “The results of the PISA study confirm that education reforms are moving in the right direction. On the one hand, the results reveal the existing problems in Armenia’s education system, while on the other hand, they demonstrate that the reforms launched in the sector are moving in the right direction.”
In a second statement, the Ministry considers it necessary to emphasize that Armenia is participating in the study for the first time and explains its purpose: “Armenia’s participation in the PISA study is one of the important goals of state policy in the field of education, as it, like other external assessments, provides a good opportunity to record results and problems, thereby making the impact of reforms measurable by comparing them with the indicators of other countries.”
However, the statement does not clearly identify the assessments concerning Armenia’s education system that follow from the actual results of the study.
According to the study, only 28% of students in Armenia reached at least Level 2 proficiency in mathematics, compared with the OECD average of 65%, while in reading, only 19% reached this threshold, compared with 69% across the OECD. The share of high-performing students is also very small: only 1% of students in Armenia reached Level 5 or 6 in mathematics, compared with 8% across OECD countries.
The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports specifically highlights the following as the most pronounced strengths of Armenian students:
According to the official summary, weaknesses include a low level of ability to apply acquired knowledge in practical situations, which is identified as the main challenge. Another challenge is increasing students’ motivation, which, the Ministry says, requires greater attention by changing existing approaches and reconsidering how to engage in more effective dialogue with students. Everything should be done to make learning interesting.
By the way, on September 8, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan clarified the timeline for the expected changes, saying: “These data are a baseline for us: they show the situation as it was before the full implementation of the new standard. I hope that in four years we will be able to see the impact of the new standard and changes in the results.”
The Ministry then makes a political assessment of the state of education: “The results of the PISA study confirm that education reforms are moving in the right direction.”
ARMENIAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE, CULTURE AND SPORTS: The results of the study, on the one hand, reveal the existing problems in Armenia’s education system, while on the other hand, they demonstrate that the reforms launched in the sector are moving in the right direction.
The official text then lists what has been done in recent years, in much the same way as it was presented during the pre-election period:
a shift from a knowledge-based to a competency-based education standard
- positive trends in mathematics and science identified through a World Bank assessment in Tavush
- higher final examination results among the first graduates educated under the new standard
- full implementation of the new standard in grades 1–12 starting this school year
- a 25% salary supplement for STEM teachers;
- the government’s 2026–2031 programme for promoting reading
- voluntary certification for every third teacher, with a base payment of AMD 200,000 and an additional 30–50% supplement
- a supplement for teachers in rural schools with fewer than 100 students, potentially reaching one full-time salary regardless of teaching hours
- a category-based system providing supplements of up to 50%
- state education funding reaching approximately 180% of its 2018 level in 2026, at around AMD 354 billion, including approximately AMD 301 billion for general education
- 226 school construction and renovation projects completed, with the remainder expected to be completed by the end of the year, while a new 300-school programme has also been approved
- STEM laboratories available in 86% of schools
- the number of teacher vacancies reduced from 1,400 to 700
- 4,000 new teachers recruited over two years, 80% of whom are under 45
The Ministry states that “almost all of the problems identified by the study have already been incorporated into state education policy, and relevant steps are being taken to improve them.” However, the authorized state body does not explain why it uses the word “almost.” The wording suggests that some problems are, in fact, not included in education policy, but it does not specify which ones. We will try to clarify this through a written inquiry.
Only in the concluding part of this lengthy text does the Ministry emphasize: “The results are certainly not satisfactory; they point to problems.” In the same sentence, however, it returns to the official style of wording: “…while the ongoing reforms are aimed at having a higher-quality education system.”
And here again, as on the previous day, the Ministry continues to avoid identifying the problems through the specific indicators that demonstrate them. These are the indicators around which public debate has continued unabated for the third consecutive day.
So how are other countries officially responding to the same report? More on that next.
