“ We consider ourselves a leadership development program because there is no greater investment than the development of our people . Teach For Armenia seeks to equip every person in our program and organization with the tools to unlock their potential , and with that , the potential of entire communities and our nation .”
Armenia and Artsakh are facing an education crisis . Nationwide , there is a critical teacher shortage and academic performance is on the decline . At present , there are about 600 vacancies across the system , with some schools missing teachers in critical STEM subject areas for years . Fewer and fewer people are choosing to become teachers and there is no higher education program specifically designed for principals . At Teach For Armenia , we believe that the solution to this crisis is cultivating human capital .
We consider ourselves a leadership development program because there is no greater investment than the development of our people . Teach For Armenia seeks to equip every person in our program and organization with the tools to unlock their potential , and with that , the potential of entire communities and our nation . When each person recognizes their agency and feels capable of effecting change in and around their lives , we can create the synergy needed to transform the education system and educational outcomes nationwide . Together , we are a movement for educational equity in Armenia and Artsakh working towards achieving our vision by 2050 .
In 2021 , we collaborated with the Armenian Ministry of Education , Science , Culture , and Sports to strengthen the quality of education that students receive . For nearly a decade , Teach For Armenia has advocated for a national shift to competency-based learning focused on demonstrable outcomes and project-based learning focused on real-world application of knowledge . In 2021 , the Ministry officially incorporated both elements into the national curriculum . As part of this change , we are working on the expansion of Change-Based Learning , our unique approach to project-based learning , from an after-school activity to a formal part of the school day at our partner schools .
Teach For Armenia is also working to alleviate the talent shortage facing our public school system by creating alternative pathways into the profession . Until now , only institutions of higher education have been able to grant qualifications to teach in public schools . In 2021 , Teach For Armenia was successfully granted an executive order allowing educational organizations to accredit individuals to teach as well . Building on this step , we hope to convert Teach For Armenia ’ s Teacher Leadership Academy , our annual training program for new recruits , into a government-accredited teacher preparation program by the end of 2022 .
Furthermore , we have enlisted Armenia ’ s growing technology sector to help solve the national education crisis . Through our
Annual Report 2021
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