Problems of RA Higher Education. Syuzanna Chalgyan

This article is dedicated to the problems available in the field of RA higher education.
To identify the problems, a survey was conducted on students and graduates among young people, giving them the opportunity to speak out in Armenia. Weaknesses and shortcomings in the higher education system make suggestions. Twenty-one university took part in the survey in Armenia (ASUE, ASUE Supreme Body, YSU, ANAU, AUA, ASCA, HFKSPI, YSMI, GSU, YSU, EIU, ANAU, ANFA, RAU, YSMU, RA PKA, NCAA, ASPU, YSLU, CU, RA Police Academy,) 270 students aged 18-30 from higher education institutions
and graduates. Below I present the voice of the respondents problems, developed and in a systematic way.

The following issues were discussed:

What opportunities does higher education give you?
What problems did you encounter during your studies? And what?
Do you suggest a change?
How did you find a job after graduating from university? What problems do you have to meet
What opportunities do higher education offer?

They answered as follows:

29% of respondents said they have higher education provided them only with a diploma, they consider it insufficient educational system activity. 19% complained that higher education provides only theoretical knowledge that doesn’t meet the requirements of the labor market in the face of difficulties
15% of respondents believe that higher education in the future, it is only possible to have a job, and 8% think that higher education provides as an opportunity as a specialist to be formed. Contrary to the opinion of 19% of the respondents, 7% of the participants consider that higher education provides practical knowledge. 16% think higher education provides an opportunity to participate in a variety of seminars, conferences and international exchange programs.
They are considered to be the main motivation for young people self-development and personal growth, gaining experience.
For 6% of participants higher education gives only new acquaintances opportunity to confirm.

Summing up the indicators, we can conclude:

That in the first place emphasizes the higher education of young people having a diploma, which is not a qualitative basis at all for the search of specialists. Most of the other young people too.
They are admitted to universities in order not to become unemployed in the future, but later “knowledge required in the labor market”due to a mismatch of skills they encounter a variety of problems.

Students mentioned the following problems connected with learning:
According to 45% of higher education institutions, either they do not provide enough materials or they do not provide up-to-date materials, in particular, materials with foreign language literature are provided, which make it difficult to translate and learn first, and then there are students, who do not have a sufficient knowledge of a foreign language, i.e. literature is provided that is not accessible to everyone. Complaints have been registered that the number of secondary subjects prevails over professional subjects, which cause overload. They are taught by non-modern methods, there is a lack of equipment and other necessary items, which directly affect the efficiency and interest of the teaching process. 25% of the students were discriminated against, during the examination process the students studying in the free system are separated from the students in the paid system, unequal assessment conditions, in particular the lecturers evaluate according to their sympathy for the student, therefore, the student’s knowledge and level of preparation for the exam are completely ignored. 16% of the students do not qualify the teaching specialists, notice people with insufficient knowledge, who do not know the subjects taught, do not provide the necessary materials, push the students to take paid classes, demand money during the examination process. According to 7% of the respondents, there is an inflexible system of tuition fees in higher education institutions; In case of changes in rent discounts, information is not spread in advance. 5% of distance learning students surveyed consider the teaching process to be incomplete, a large amount of materials are provided in a short period of time that can not be fully understood, teachers have a discriminatory attitude towards distance learning, the connection between students and the educational institution is weak. As a result of which the student considers himself neglected.

Offered:

Review the content of the educational materials provided and the number of secondary subjects
Develop and implement modern teaching methods
Organize continuous trainings among lecturers
Strictly follow the transparent process of organizing the examination process, exclude corruption
Eliminate discriminatory treatment of students due to the fact that they study in the existing / distance, paid / free system, establish equal conditions.

The students who graduated from the university took part in the survey and found a job in accordance with the options mentioned in the following schedule:

According to the results of the schedule, only 6% of the students who graduated found a job through the mediation of the university, which is a rather low index, characterizing the weak connection between the university and the labor market. I think the mission of the university should be to train qualified specialists, as well as to be a mediator in their employment. The primary problem of hiring is the lack of relevant experience, the inconsistency of theoretical-practical materials. As a result of strengthening the connection with the labor market, the university will solve one problem, that is, by training specialists in accordance with the requirements of the labor market, by reducing the theoretical courses, by increasing the practical courses.

In conclusion, I would like to add that we have not so positive and satisfactory indicators. The basis of a strong state is a society armed with knowledge, but with these indicators, when the majority of young people do not receive anything other than a diploma from the university, if they receive it, they can not apply it at work, there can be no talk about it. The problems of higher education must be under the attention of the state and get appropriate solutions. It is a systemic problem in Armenia today, as I have received information on problems only from 21 different universities. Universities are well aware of the qualities and professional abilities of their specialists, that is why I expect the active, effective intervention of the state. First of all, it is necessary to exclude the continuous activity of defective specialists in universities – corruption, then – to develop new, effective educational methods, to give the student an opportunity to express his free thought and will. We need specialists who are excellent at their job, in addition to having teaching skills, I suggest setting strict requirements – qualification for the relevant position, as well as continuous training courses. It is possible to provide an environment where the student will be able to develop as a specialist, will be able to think, analyze, discuss, create, make suggestions, will develop organizational, communication, team and other necessary skills. The future of our state is the youth of today, who have the right to receive quality education, to work for the welfare of the homeland, to develop.

The article was written by Syuzanna Chalgyan, a participant in the second round of the “Article Contest” organized by the “Restart Gyumri” Initiative Center NGO.