"Not difficult, but overwhelming"
Head of Armenia's Assessment and Testing Center Gurgen Khachatryan says this year's university admission exams were a success, but believes that the level of education is low in Armenia.
The joint graduating exams began on July 1 and lasted two months. According to the order of admissions, the results of the admissions exams must be posted by August 5.
According to Gurgen Khachatryan, they are not rushing in order to not make mistakes. "We are counting the vacant spots with Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan and trying to do everything possible to admit as many applicants as possible," added Gurgen Khachatryan.
Last year the Assessment and Testing Center conducted assessments in Yerevan and two provinces of the republic. The head of the center says the inspections will be faster this year in order to constantly see the level of education. "Unfortunately, the results of last year's assessment showed that the country's level of education is not high," says Gurgen Khachatryan.
Many applicants are complaining about the difficulty of the tests. According to the head of the center, there has never been an assignment to develop difficult tests. "On the contrary, we have always taken into account that the average grade should be between 12 and 13 and the test developers can prove that."
Teacher of Armenian language and literature Astghik Safaryan claims that the tests are not difficult, "but the questions were overwhelming and unclear." "The questions didn't match with the options and children spent most of their time understanding the question."
Parent of an applicant Gayane Sargsyan says today's tests are easier than the ones in her time. "But now it seems that they are not checking knowledge. My child may know the material, but make a mistake in the test and another child who doesn't know the material may get it right by chance."
As for those applicants who haven't presented their attestations to the university admissions committees will not be admitted to the universities, if they don't submit the attestations by July 30, as reported by press speaker for the Assessment and Testing Center Gayane Manukyan.
