Thursday, July 4 2019 13:30

ArmInfo. The Armenian government intends to take effective steps to improve the quality of education in the schools of the republic. At a meeting of the Cabinet  of Ministers on July 4, a decision was approved to demolish 5  buildings of old schools that are dangerous from the point of view of  seismic risks, and to build in their place new educational  institutions.

According to the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of  the Republic of Armenia Araik Harutyunyan, the poor physical  conditions in the educational institutions of the republic affect the  quality of education. Within the framework of the new project, it is  envisaged to allocate 129.8 million drams from the state budget of  the Republic of Armenia for the development of design and estimate  documentation, and then begin financing the program. The minister  noted that a number of schools in the republic, moving to a 12-year  education system, ended up in high schools with poor physical  condition. One new school is planned to be built in Masis, Alaverdi  and Hrazdan, as well as 2 schools in Yerevan. Araik Harutyunyan  stressed that another 6 schools will undergo major repairs. He  recalled that last year 6 schools were capitally repaired and put  into operation on the credit funds of international donors;  construction work will start in 8 schools of the republic this year.

Recall that at the end of last year, the government of Armenia  approved a program aimed at improving the seismic stability of 26  schools in the republic. The project is implemented on credit  resources of the Asian Development Bank. The total cost of the  program is estimated at $ 107 million, of which $ 88.5 million will  be provided by ADB, and $ 18.5 million - by the RA government. In  total, 46 schools are involved in the program, of which 20 have  already begun construction work. Now the list of schools will involve  another 26 schools, the development of design and estimate  documentation for which is at the final stage. Schools are selected  on the basis of research conducted by a specially created working  group and approved in July last year by an interdepartmental  commission. In total, there is a need to modernize more than 400  schools, however, at this stage, priority is given to 46. At the same  time, it is possible that some educational institutions will be  demolished and new ones will be built instead. The implementation of  the entire program began in 2015.

As ArmInfo reported earlier, on November 12, 2015, the Armenian  government approved a loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank  signed on October 19, 2015 in the amount of $ 85.5 million to enhance  the seismic safety of schools. Loan servicing payments will be made  every six months. The interest rate is 2% per annum, the repayment  period is 25 years, of which 5 years is a grace period. In the period  from 2015 to 2030, more than 400 schools will appear in Armenia  within the framework of the loan program of the Asian Development  Bank (ADB), which will meet modern standards for earthquake-resistant  construction. The total cost of this ADB program is $ 617 million.