In July 2021, the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport launched a one-year pilot project on introducing new state standards for general education at the general educational establishments of Tavush marz. As part of the implementation of new standards, the Ayb Educational Foundation carried out qualification trainings for STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) teachers.
The pilot program on introducing new state standards for general education is funded by the European Union and the World Bank as part of the EU for Innovation initiative.
The program had two main components:
Within the one-year program, the experienced team of the Ayb Educational Foundation carried out subject and pedagogical training as well as qualification training for school leadership in face-to-face and online formats.
The trainings included awareness and mentoring meetings, lab activities, meetings with principals, and class observations.
The Ayb Educational Foundation did a great job for about 770 STEM teachers and more than 150 representatives of school leadership, 680 of whom received pedagogical training. In order to involve teachers in the mentoring process and prepare them as local mentors, the foundation trained 27 teachers. Both local and senior mentors regularly conducted class observations in 78 schools of the region (respectively 147 and 435 observations).
Along with qualification trainings, the Ayb Educational Foundation provided constant mentoring support throughout the academic year (376 mentoring meetings, 564 hours in total) and implemented the School Leadership Development Program in the region.
The goal of the project was to support the principals and deputy principals in leading the amendment process in their schools based on international experience in effective leadership as well as to help start the active use of the project-based learning method.