Center for Education Projects PIU The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports

On November 7 and 8, the World Bank team, accompanied by CEP PIU representatives visited educational institutions of the RA Armavir and Aragatsotn regions. Monitoring of the implemented and current work, carried out within the framework of the World Bank co-financed " Education Improvement Additional Financing" loan project, was in the context of the visits. In Particular Senior Economist, Task Team Leader Renata Freitas Lemos, Consultant Anna Malkhasyan, Operations Analyst Irina Tevosyan, Senior Operation Officer Narine Tadevosyan, as well as the acting director of the Center for Education Project PIU Grisha Hovhannisyan, Project Manager Armine Khachatryan, Head of the sub-component “Equipping General Education Schools” Mher-Melik-Bakhshyan were the participants of the visits. The World Bank delegation started their working visit on November 7, in Vagharshapat Main school No. 12 after Z. Andranik, where the establishment of ICT and Engineering laboratories (Physics, Chemistry, Geography and Biology) were in process.
It should be added that the process of providing ICT and Engineering laboratories to general education schools of Armavir region of the RA will be completed in December 2023.
The next stop of the World Bank delegation was High School No. 5 after M. Gorki in Vagarshapat, which was completely rehabilitated in the framework of the Education Improvement Project. The guests were highly impressed by the conditions. Afterwards the visits continued in the secondary schools of Norakert and Baghramyan, where new preschools and STEM laboratories were established. The World Bank delegation, accompanied by the CEP PIU Acting Director Grisha Hovhannisyan and program staff toured the newly established preschools, got acquainted with the work done, talked with teachers and parents. The World Bank delegation continued their visits on November 8 and visited the Main schools No. 5 and No. 10 in Armavir, where new preschools have been  established. The guests were impressed with the final results and with the created conditions. The World Bank task team leader Renata Freitas Lemos noted that preschool education is the pillar of the successful educational process and establishment of preschools as a result of such programs, is an important precondition for having literate and educated citizens tomorrow. She also highlighted the importance of involvement children of forcibly displaced families from Artsakh in preschools , emphasizing that this issue will always be in the center of the World Bank’s special  attention.
Members of the WB delegation toured the classrooms where the new furniture and ICT laboratories (partially)have been installed, while laboratory equipment to the selected schools will be provided by December 2023.The next stop was in Ashtarak High School No. 5 after Sisakian. This high school is one of those 4 high schools that will be completely rehabilitated/constructed in the frames of “Education Improvement Additional Financing " loan project.
The Delegation met with the Constructors and discussed various questions related to seismic strengthening of the building and to overall rehabilitation activities. It should be noted that within the framework of “Education Improvement Additional Financing " loan project reconstructions have started in 2 more high schools: in Vanadzor and in Artashat while in Yerevan high school N 139 the construction activities will start by the beginning of December. The final stop was in Byurakan secondary school after Tumanyan, on the basis of which a new preschool has been established with the involvement of about 60 preschool aged children. Preschool children spent their days in beautiful and colorful rooms with comfortable shelves and closets,  full of educational materials  and toys. The World Bank team highly appreciated CEP PIU efforts in in the context of reforms in the education sector, stressing that the results are highly impressive.