More Yezidi Kids
Thursday, June 15th, 2006Ortachiya, Aragatsotn Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
Ortachiya, Aragatsotn Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
Archive for the ‘Children’ Category
Gavar, Gegharkunik Region
Monday, June 12th, 2006Gavar, Gegharkunik Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Habitat for Humanity 2006
Kond — Children
Monday, June 5th, 2006
Armenian Navy Band, The Cascade, International Children’s Day
Thursday, June 1st, 2006
Armenian Navy Band, International Children’s Day, Liberty Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
As an excellent way to end International Children’s Day, Arto Tuncboyajian’s Armenian Navy Band opened a free concert at The Cascade in Yerevan. The group came second in the Europe Category for this year’s BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards, but came first in the Audience Award Category.
Armenian Navy Band, International Children’s Day, Liberty Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
Liberty Square, International Children’s Day
Thursday, June 1st, 2006
International Children’s Day, Liberty Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
June 1 was International Children’s Day and as usual, Armenian kids gathered to draw pictures with chalk on the asphalt covering Yerevan’s Liberty Square.
International Children’s Day, Liberty Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
International Children’s Day, Liberty Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
Fresh from achieving top marks in one of her exams, I was fortunate enough to run into the always wonderful Zarchka from Life Around Me who also got into the spirit of things.
just when children started drawing on the ground with colorful chalks. It was so exciting and I didn’t miss the chance to ask chalks, after which I started drawing by myself. I remembered my childhood… I guess it was spectacular how a girl of 20 was drawing among those kids trying not to let her skirt go up. However, nothing bright occurred to me than drawing Ararat mountain, as many of the kids were doing the same.
Here’s that drawing for the record.
International Children’s Day, Liberty Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
Tatul, Marmarashen
Thursday, May 18th, 2006
Yezidi School, Barozh
Monday, May 8th, 2006
Yezidi school, Barozh, Aragatsotn Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2005
Yezidi school, Barozh, Aragatsotn Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2005
Educating Minority Children in Armenia
More Yezidi Kids
Saturday, May 6th, 2006
Alagyaz, Aragatsotn Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
Yezidi Kids
Friday, May 5th, 2006
Yezidi School, Alagyaz
Friday, May 5th, 2006
Alagyaz, Aragatsotn Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
As I said in my last post, I wrote an article on minority education for UNICEF last year, and although the situation in Alagyaz isn’t so bad in so much as a new school is under construction. Unfortunately, it’s been under construction for many years now and pupils are still studying in a run-down building which is pretty much the same in many villages here.
And while adverse socio-economic conditions faced by rural settlements, as well as the poor upkeep of village schools, are detrimental to education, the main problem is cultural. This is especially true for females. “There are those who even consider education dangerous for a girl,” says the report. “They reason that an educated woman may have ideas and not be as obedient to men.”
However, despite these obstacles, there are children in minority communities that would like to enter higher education. In the Yezidi village of Zovuni, for example, one girl cries as she tells of her inability to study French when she finishes school. Another Yezidi girl says that if given the opportunity, she would like to study, and later teach, Armenian language and literature.
There’s a problem with textbooks, of course, but there’ll soon be a pre-school class as part of reform of the education system in Armenia. However, there’s still no kindergarten and my understanding is that most Yezidi would welcome the construction of one given that what they did have was apparently destroyed in the 1988 Earthquake.
“When children aren’t in possession of the basics for entering school, it is more difficult for them to adjust to this new environment and they are less communicative with their teachers and peers,” she says. “They have already been deprived of the opportunity to open their minds to explore, compare and learn. That is one reason why there are only two to five good pupils on average in every class in schools in Armenia and why many children are unable to fully grasp the curriculum presented.”
Hasmik will have an article on the school in Alagyaz published by Hetq Online in the near future.
Alagyaz, Aragatsotn Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006