Tuition fees increased by 200 000 drams in some iniversities
State institutions of higher education in Armenia will start the new academic year with raised tuition fees.
Although Minister of Science and Education Armen Ashotyan has announced that tuition fees in Armenian universities will increase by 20-100 thousand drams depending on university and faculty, tuition payment in some universities has gone up by 200 thousand drams, says the National Students Association of Armenia.
"For example, students of the Vocal Department in Yerevan State Conservatory after Komitas, will have to pay 700 000 drams against the former 500 000 drams. The same picture has been observed at Yerevan State University of Economics where students will have to pay 600 000 drams instead of 400 000," says Sargis Asatryants, Deputy Chairman of the Association.
"In Yerevan State University and State University of Economics tuition fees have been increased by 28 and29 percent respectively. On the whole, tuition fees have increased by an average of 15%," he continued.
Increase in tuition fee implies good and quality education, say the members of the Association.
"But today we can state that our universities are impotent and do not give products," adds Sargis Asatryants.
The Association wants to prevent sharp hikes in tuition fees as long as it finds an alternative option.
"We need to establish a fund with the participation of all stakeholders, government officials, universities, philanthropists who will assist in providing free education, as enshrined by the Constitution," Asatryants said in conclusion.
