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GEGHARKOUNIQ PRINCIPAL: "WE NOW HAVE YEREVAN AND A 150 KILOMETER BORDER OF EMPTY COMMUNITIES."
Grisha Balasanyan
http://hetq.am/eng/articles/20903/gegharkouniq-principal-we-now-have-yerevan-and-a-150-kilometer-border-of-empty-communities%E2%80%9D.html
10:26, November 26, 2012
Residents in the border villages in Armenia's Gegharkouniq Province
are leaving in greater numbers every year.
Simple proof of this is the decreasing enrollment of area schools.
Families just don't see a future for themselves in the province. Local
school principals have voiced their concerns that if the trends
continue this section of Armenia's border with Azerbaijan will be
empty of Armenians altogether.
Artash Khloyan, principal of the Kakhakn village high school, told
Hetq that in 1996 the school had 117 students. Today, that number
has dropped to 40. So has the number of grades; from ten to six.
"Those who have the means are leaving the village. They are going
to other parts of the country or overseas. I fought in the battle
to liberate Kelbajar in 1993 and am trying the best I can to keep
people here. It's a bad situation and the same is happening in all
the villages," said Khloyan.
When I asked what the reason for the exodus was, Khloyan advised me
to ask those in government instead.
"I'd rather not say because it would be critical of those in power.
The government isn't treating rural residents in the correct manner.
Village folk feel neglected and alone with their concerns. The
government must do much more to assist those in the villages. Right
now, the government is more concerned with building high-rise
buildings in Yerevan. What we now have is the capital, Yerevan,
and a 150 kilometer stretch of border full of empty communities."
Khloyan said the absenteeism is a problem because students don't have
proper clothes or shoes to wear to school. Many families can't even
pay for textbooks.
The Kakhakn school is in pretty bad shape. The roof is constantly
leaking when it rains. The windows are so old that it's tough to keep
the classrooms warm in winter. There is no running water in the school.
Nelli Vardanyan, principal of the neighboring Arpounq village high
school, says that the number of students in her school is also
dropping. The village practically sits on the border with Azerbaijan.
The school has an enrollment of 104, but a number of the grades have
been merged.
The principal says that while entire families aren't leaving the
village, the number of seasonal workers heading for Russia and
elsewhere is on the rise. Most families say that they can't afford
to raise more than two kids.
The village has no cultural club for youngsters to gather and pass
the time of day.
From: Baghdasarian
Grisha Balasanyan
http://hetq.am/eng/articles/20903/gegharkouniq-principal-we-now-have-yerevan-and-a-150-kilometer-border-of-empty-communities%E2%80%9D.html
10:26, November 26, 2012
Residents in the border villages in Armenia's Gegharkouniq Province
are leaving in greater numbers every year.
Simple proof of this is the decreasing enrollment of area schools.
Families just don't see a future for themselves in the province. Local
school principals have voiced their concerns that if the trends
continue this section of Armenia's border with Azerbaijan will be
empty of Armenians altogether.
Artash Khloyan, principal of the Kakhakn village high school, told
Hetq that in 1996 the school had 117 students. Today, that number
has dropped to 40. So has the number of grades; from ten to six.
"Those who have the means are leaving the village. They are going
to other parts of the country or overseas. I fought in the battle
to liberate Kelbajar in 1993 and am trying the best I can to keep
people here. It's a bad situation and the same is happening in all
the villages," said Khloyan.
When I asked what the reason for the exodus was, Khloyan advised me
to ask those in government instead.
"I'd rather not say because it would be critical of those in power.
The government isn't treating rural residents in the correct manner.
Village folk feel neglected and alone with their concerns. The
government must do much more to assist those in the villages. Right
now, the government is more concerned with building high-rise
buildings in Yerevan. What we now have is the capital, Yerevan,
and a 150 kilometer stretch of border full of empty communities."
Khloyan said the absenteeism is a problem because students don't have
proper clothes or shoes to wear to school. Many families can't even
pay for textbooks.
The Kakhakn school is in pretty bad shape. The roof is constantly
leaking when it rains. The windows are so old that it's tough to keep
the classrooms warm in winter. There is no running water in the school.
Nelli Vardanyan, principal of the neighboring Arpounq village high
school, says that the number of students in her school is also
dropping. The village practically sits on the border with Azerbaijan.
The school has an enrollment of 104, but a number of the grades have
been merged.
The principal says that while entire families aren't leaving the
village, the number of seasonal workers heading for Russia and
elsewhere is on the rise. Most families say that they can't afford
to raise more than two kids.
The village has no cultural club for youngsters to gather and pass
the time of day.
From: Baghdasarian