Examining international best practices for informed decision-making in general education
Together with partners, UNICEF works to generate evidence and analysis to improve education policy in Armenia
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The need for education reform in Armenia has been a topic of discussion for some time now. In 2021, UNICEF initiated four in-depth studies on education reform that were conducted with the support of the Global Partnership for Education and in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports and the Asian Development Bank. The overarching objective was to provide evidence-based recommendations that would inform decision-making in the process of the reform, drawing upon international best practices, as well as lessons-learned and conclusions derived from the situation in Armenia. Together, the four research teams examined a number of areas, from pre-school education and teacher management to classroom assessment and the teaching evaluation system.
In March, UNICEF organized a workshop, bringing together leading technical experts from the Ministry of Education and over 40 civil society organizations and other stakeholders to present the results from the studies and discuss policy recommendations before they are submitted to the Ministry.
Here are four main thematic takeaways from the workshop that you should know!
1. A number of gaps were revealed as a result of the analysis of teacher management system
The teacher management system was examined with the recruitment system, retention incentives and ongoing professional development in mind. This expert group also studied the issue of vacant teaching positions, looking at an incentive system whereby teachers can be encouraged and supported to take on subject areas for which there are not enough instructors, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
“Many of the findings were foreseen by our expert group, for instance, the issue of low salaries. For us, it was important for these studies to take place, as it helped to document and reinstate things that were already of common knowledge,”
One of the recommendations from this expert group is to set a probationary phase in the recruitment process. “We suggest to re-evaluating the salary structure. Certain teaching qualifications or standards should be considered for gradual salary increase. For example, there can be ‘beginner teachers,’ ‘mentor teachers,’ and so forth. To make this possible, it is necessary to introduce a performance evaluation mechanism in teaching,” said Ms. Kyureghyan.
The group also recommended that all schoolteachers be encouraged to participate in professional development activities, such as professional collaborative initiatives or classroom-based research.
2. The analysis of classroom grading and assessment system showed a greater need for safeguarding of equality and fairness principles
This expert group looked at the existing classroom assessment policies in Armenia and the approaches that could be improved to ensure equality and impartiality. Although Armenia has signed a number of international documents and is part of several international initiative that guarantee equal rights for all children in school, both in and out of the classroom, the study team found that the current education system only partially supports the maintenance of impartiality and fairness in assessment. The group also compared the existing assessment system with a new standard currently being piloted in Tavush region and came up with a new set of recommendations about both the existing system and the new system being tested.
“Although a substantial amount of work has been done, especially in developing new standards, there is still a lot to be done with regard to student assessment,” noted Dr Anna Aleksanyan, head of this expert group.
“I would love if these materials that we have worked on for months also get in the hands of teachers since we have come up with very valuable recommendations and important findings. Once a teacher is in the classroom, he or she is in charge of deciding how to work and has a primarily responsibility in ensuring impartiality to assess students’ work. Teachers should be involved in this process and lead the way to change.”
3. Educational assessment needs to be in line with education standards and curriculum
This third expert group studied the quality of comprehensive testing system of education in Armenia. “The system of comprehensive assessment includes the unified exams, national assessment programmes, and so forth. We have considered the quality of these processes, the extent to which they comply with Armenia's state-defined priorities and international documents," explained Mr Hayk Daveyan, educational psychologist and academic learning measurement and assessment specialist. “We have also looked at mechanisms whereby the evidence from these and other studies can be integrated in the development of academic programmes in Armenia and opportunities for future studies.”
This expert group emphasized the necessity to ensure that the principles of academic learning assessment are clearly defined, and that it is in line with educational standards and curriculum with a greater focus on assessing the quality of learning. The group also highlighted the need to develop academic learning evaluation capacities in the country and integrate it in the process of policy development and programme implementation.
4. The planning, financing and other aspects of pre-school education need to be reconsidered for further development in this direction
The fourth and final expert group, led by Christina Sargsyan, took over pre-school education, employing an adapted approach recommended by the Global Partnership for Education and UNICEF. According to Sargsyan, the group identified several areas that need to be improved for pre-school education to develop in Armenia, including planning and financing, development and implementation of state standards, workforce development, and engagement of families and communities in these processes.
The group not only identified the main issues but also presented successful cases. “When you focus solely on the problems, it is much more difficult to offer comprehensive, complete solutions to relevant bodies. Our approach was that we should build on what we have and see how to solve the problems by looking at successful cases in order to understand the effectiveness of possible solutions,” noted Mrs Sargsyan.
According to Sargsyan, one successful practice in Armenia is that there is a separate regulatory framework on early educator qualification, recruitment for early educators and preschool principals, and standards of care.
“The challenge is that there is no comprehensive policy or complete action plan based on that policy. While there is a goal to adopt universal inclusion by 2023, there aren’t enough resources to make it happen in terms of physical infrastructure and early educator training.”
Workforce development was under focus for this group as well. “There are qualification requirements for pre-school teachers and early educators included in the regulations. There are communities, however, where there are simply no specialists who meet those standards,” says Sargsyan, noting also issues with teaching methodology. International best practices recommend play-based learning for young children, while Armenian early educators mostly view these as two separate activities. The group has set forth recommendations on how to review early learning methodologies as a whole.
In April, UNICEF summarized the recommendations from the workshop and the work of all four expert groups and submitted to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports for consideration in the process of developing the national education action plan.
“This research will serve as a good basis for us to make future decisions, develop and implement effective policies. I am so pleased that the results these studies are available at a time when we are reviewing the draft state program and action plan on education,”
To view the results of all four expert groups, please review the following publications on our website:
Feasibility Analysis of the National School Management and Governance Approaches in Armenia
Equity and Fairness-Oriented Analysis of School Classroom Assessment Practices
Analysis of National Large-Scale Learning Assessment System in Armenia
