YEREVAN (Armenpress)–The first attempts of the Armenian Apostolic Church to restore religion lessons at secondary schools–which came in the aftermath of the collapse of the USSR–failed because it did not take into account a range of factors–such as the lack of skilled and competent teachers and special textbooks.
In some schools these religion lessons were obligatory–and in others they were held after main lessons–but the children were not interested to attend classes that dealt with something that was not known to them. To improve this situation–a special commission including officials from the education ministry–psychologists and teachers–as well as clergymen has been set up–and is led by the Head of Syunik Diocese of Armenian Church Bishop Abraham.
A senior official of the education ministry said that the core of the lessons will be bringing up children who would be devoted to their homeland–remaining faithful to national and regional values of Armenia’s–children who would have respect for their national Church and fight back against any attempt to involve them in suspicious sects.
The official said the first text-books for 4th–5th and 6th grade students will be ready by autumn–but he added they will be introduced in schools after a testing period.