Maragos: EU invests in education in Lori, Tavush, Shirak and Syunik regions

ArmInfo. The European Union plans to make significant investments in education in the Lori, Tavush, Shirak and Syunik regions, marking a crucial   move towards  developing human capital and bolstering the Republic of Armenia's  sustainability. Vassilis Maragos, the head of the EU delegation to  Armenia, made this statement on November 18 in Dilijan during the  "Armenia-EU Educational Dialogue" conference.  

"We have provided assistance to STEM labs, contributed to the reconstruction of  secondary schools and preschools, and supported non-formal education  and extracurricular activities. It is crucial to involve young people  in all these initiatives,  as the decisions taken today will shape  their future," added the Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia,  underscoring the importance of maintaining the collaborative  partnership in this area.

Maragos also noted that the event focuses on addressing current  issues and exploring possible solutions. He added that collaboration  with the government and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture  and Sport (MECS) of Armenia is yielding positive results.  "Our goal  is to invest in Armenia's most precious asset - human capital. We are  providing assistance totaling around 70 million euros, which will be  directed to support various areas, and today we will also discuss how  to make this cooperation more effective," explained Maragos.

The European diplomat highlighted the importance of the event's  agenda for Armenia, particularly in relation to the country's social  and economic development. "I am pleased to be here and discuss  education development programs with the representatives of the  Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia, along with my other  colleagues. Today, we have a discussion not only with the Ministry,  but also with our partners, such as TUMO and COAF, to present the  results of our work and plan further steps," said the EU Ambassador  to Armenia, highlighting the productivity of the dialogue. In turn,  Acting Representative of the UNICEF Yerevan Office Silvia Mestroni,  noted that the Children's Fund will continue to support the  implementation of educational reforms in Armenia, including providing  technical assistance within the framework of the "Armenia-EU  Education Dialogue". "What is considered success in education has  changed dramatically these days. It is about helping children develop  their identity, cognitive, social and emotional skills. Striking a  balance between imparting solid knowledge and fostering skills is  crucial.  Armenia has made progress in both directions, as evidenced  by the recent concluding observations of the UN Committee on the  Rights of the Child," Mestroni concluded.