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IN ARMENIA, A LANGUAGE BARRIER
By HASMIK HAMBARDZUMIAN
Bellingham Herald
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/06/01/1457857/in-armenia-a-language-barrier.html
June 1 2010
WA
YEREVAN, Armenia In an echo of the debate over bilingual education
that raged in the United States for years, writers, opposition groups
and nationalists are protesting plans to allow Armenian schools to
conduct classes in English.
These opponents claim that the move would relegate the Armenian
language to second-class status.
"This presents a great danger to the independence of Armenia. Armenian
will become a domestic language, and our independence will exist only
on paper," said Vahan Ishkhanyan, an influential blogger and former
editor of Ankax newspaper.
Current law requires that Armenian be used in all classroom
instructions.
But Ruben Vardanyan, an ethnic Armenian billionaire, wants to change
that. Vardanyan has proposed building a major financial center in the
town of Dilijan. For his plan to succeed, he needs a large number of
workers who are proficient in English.
A bill to allow the use of English in schools has already been
introduced in parliament.
Education Minister Armen Ashotyan has promised that only a small
number of non-Armenian language schools could be opened under the law.
In addition, Armenian would be a compulsory subject even in all-English
schools and only children 10 and older would be allowed to enroll in
English schools He also stressed that such schools would be privately
financed.
"The logic of the law is to give the possibility to investors,
organizations or individuals who want to open such schools," he said.
But those who oppose the bill see another type of logic.
"A slow but irreversible process will start, where parents looking
for the best education for their children will prefer instruction in a
foreign language. These pupils, receiving a more successful education,
will get into the best universities, take the leading positions in
the private and public sectors, and form a foreign-language elite,
which will at best only know conversational Armenian," said an open
letter by opponents to the principal of a school in Dilijan.
Among groups opposing the initiative are the President's Public Council
and the Union of Writers of Armenia, as well as the opposition parties
Heritage and the Armenian National Congress.
Marine Petrosyan, a writer whose work has appeared in numerous
literary publications, thinks the government will quickly abandon
plans to open foreign-language schools.
"I think the government is clever enough to remove this proposal,"
she said. "It is clear that opposition in society is very strong
... the government could end up paying dearly if it goes against the
will of the public," she said.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Hasmik Hambardzumyan is a reporter in Armenia who writes for The
Institute for War & Peace Reporting, a nonprofit organization
that trains journalists in areas of conflict. Readers
may write to the author at the Institute for War & Peace
Reporting, 48 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8LT, U.K.; Web site:
www.iwpr.net. For information about IWPR's funding, please go to
http://www.iwpr.net/index.pl?top-supporters.html.
This essay is available to McClatchy-Tribune News Service subscribers.
McClatchy-Tribune did not subsidize the writing of this column; the
opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent
the views of McClatchy-Tribune or its editors.
From: A. Papazian
By HASMIK HAMBARDZUMIAN
Bellingham Herald
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/06/01/1457857/in-armenia-a-language-barrier.html
June 1 2010
WA
YEREVAN, Armenia In an echo of the debate over bilingual education
that raged in the United States for years, writers, opposition groups
and nationalists are protesting plans to allow Armenian schools to
conduct classes in English.
These opponents claim that the move would relegate the Armenian
language to second-class status.
"This presents a great danger to the independence of Armenia. Armenian
will become a domestic language, and our independence will exist only
on paper," said Vahan Ishkhanyan, an influential blogger and former
editor of Ankax newspaper.
Current law requires that Armenian be used in all classroom
instructions.
But Ruben Vardanyan, an ethnic Armenian billionaire, wants to change
that. Vardanyan has proposed building a major financial center in the
town of Dilijan. For his plan to succeed, he needs a large number of
workers who are proficient in English.
A bill to allow the use of English in schools has already been
introduced in parliament.
Education Minister Armen Ashotyan has promised that only a small
number of non-Armenian language schools could be opened under the law.
In addition, Armenian would be a compulsory subject even in all-English
schools and only children 10 and older would be allowed to enroll in
English schools He also stressed that such schools would be privately
financed.
"The logic of the law is to give the possibility to investors,
organizations or individuals who want to open such schools," he said.
But those who oppose the bill see another type of logic.
"A slow but irreversible process will start, where parents looking
for the best education for their children will prefer instruction in a
foreign language. These pupils, receiving a more successful education,
will get into the best universities, take the leading positions in
the private and public sectors, and form a foreign-language elite,
which will at best only know conversational Armenian," said an open
letter by opponents to the principal of a school in Dilijan.
Among groups opposing the initiative are the President's Public Council
and the Union of Writers of Armenia, as well as the opposition parties
Heritage and the Armenian National Congress.
Marine Petrosyan, a writer whose work has appeared in numerous
literary publications, thinks the government will quickly abandon
plans to open foreign-language schools.
"I think the government is clever enough to remove this proposal,"
she said. "It is clear that opposition in society is very strong
... the government could end up paying dearly if it goes against the
will of the public," she said.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Hasmik Hambardzumyan is a reporter in Armenia who writes for The
Institute for War & Peace Reporting, a nonprofit organization
that trains journalists in areas of conflict. Readers
may write to the author at the Institute for War & Peace
Reporting, 48 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8LT, U.K.; Web site:
www.iwpr.net. For information about IWPR's funding, please go to
http://www.iwpr.net/index.pl?top-supporters.html.
This essay is available to McClatchy-Tribune News Service subscribers.
McClatchy-Tribune did not subsidize the writing of this column; the
opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent
the views of McClatchy-Tribune or its editors.
From: A. Papazian