Voluntary attestation continues to be a cause of tension
Out of more than 8,400 teachers who applied for this year’s voluntary attestation, 7,200 participated in the process. Around 67.2% of them, excluding the results of the latest appeals, successfully passed the assessment. The data was presented by the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (MESCS), Zhanna Andreasyan, during the Q&A session between the National Assembly and the government.
According to preliminary results, more than 4,800 teachers have already taken advantage of the opportunity for a salary increase.
In contrast to the official statements, the Committee for the Protection of Teachers’ Rights has been raising alarms for several days, reporting that a number of teachers of various subjects are protesting against the process, considering it incomplete, non-transparent, and in some cases, not corresponding to professional standards.
In open letters received from various schools and regions, teachers point out several main problems: inconsistencies in the wording of test questions, assignments given outside of textbook material, mistrust towards the assessment system, the inefficiency of the appeal procedure, and so on.
Specialists in some subjects, such as music, foreign languages, social studies, physical culture, etc., note that the assessment criteria are not fully disclosed, the responses to appeals do not eliminate the root problem, and in some cases, teachers face the risk of losing their jobs.
Speaking about the official figures, Armine Davtyan, Chairwoman of the Committee for the Protection of Teachers’ Rights, notes:
“I receive dozens of such letters every day; almost all subjects raise the same issues. In such a case, don’t this many complaints and the results seem somewhat inconsistent?”
The clear demand of the teachers is that the MESCS revise the voluntary attestation process, ensure transparency, fair assessment, and a real opportunity to demonstrate professional capabilities.