To advance the teaching of Western Armenian in diasporan schools, the Armenian Communities Department has dedicated its efforts to a pedagogical reform initiative tying its aid to the schools’ willingness to self evaluate, reform and innovate. Ani Garmiryan, Senior Programme Officer and coordinator of the new pedagogical initiative went on a two-week mission to Istanbul and Beirut to visit Armenian schools, meet school principals and work with the local Education Task Forces.

In Istanbul, a two-day meeting was held in the Bilek hall of Sourp Prgitch Hospital with the newly created Education Task Force Committee, dedicated towards working on a self-evaluation project for all 17 local Armenian day schools. In addition, Ani Garmiryan met all school principals to introduce the work the Education Task Force would be undertaking and visited several schools. (To see the press release click here.)

In Beirut, the majority of 28 principals from Lebanon’s Armenian day schools participated in a meeting with the local Education Task Force members and were introduced to the newly finalized self-evaluation forms and process.

Ani Garmiryan took this opportunity to visit the Birds’ Nest Armenian Orphanage and the Zvartnotz Center for Handicapped Children, two institutions who receive grants from the Armenian Communities Department. She also attended the inauguration of the Howard Karageuzian Commemoration Center’s new addition: The New Center For Children with Special Educational and Psychological Needs. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is one of the main contributors to this initiative. All contributors received a distinction for their support. Ani Garmiryan accepted the award on behalf of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. (To read the Aztag Daily article click here.)