Your trusted source

Striking students of the Faculty of Armenian Philology at the Yerevan State University (YSU), who have been boycotting classes for two weeks in protest against Armenia’s Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Arayik Harutyunyan, are planning to march to the YSU central building to hand petition letters to YSU Acting Rector Gegham Gevorgyan and the Academic Board.

YSU student Gevorg Gyulumyan said they are suspending the student strike for three days pending the response of the rector, adding their future steps will depend on the response.

“In the application we have touched upon the behavior of Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Arayik Harutyunyan during the meeting with the YSU academic personnel. We urge [the rector] to express his position, condemning the behavior,” Gyulumyan said.

According to the student, Harutyunyan’s behavior at the meeting with lecturers and intellectuals on 18 November was not befitting a minister and YSU lecturers did not deserve such a "contemptuous" treatment. He states the minister failed to answer any of the lecturers’ questions, only addressed the issues he wanted and closed the meeting.

The student strike has been sparked by the minister’s proposed legislation to cut the Armenian Language, Armenian Literature and Armenian History subjects from the mandatory curriculum of the country’s universities.

The striking students were joined by members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Youth Union of Armenia, who launched a sit-in outside the ministry building.