Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan got acquainted with the programs implemented in Aragatsotn and Shirak regions.

Nikol Pashinyan’s visit started from Aragatsotn region. The first stop of the Prime Minister was the kindergarten in the Ushi settlement of the Ashtarak community, where reconstruction works were carried out. The total cost of the project amounted to 371 million 137 thousand drams. The reconstructed kindergarten is designed for 100 children.

In the Aparan community, the Prime Minister visited the Yeghishe Charents secondary school in the Yernjatap settlement, where renovation works were carried out. The total cost of the project amounted to 248 million 286 thousand drams. The school building was renovated and the area was improved.

In the Alagyaz community, Nikol Pashinyan visited the kindergarten in the Alagyaz settlement, got acquainted with the construction works of the newly built preschool building. The total cost of the project was 912 million 767 thousand drams, of which the community's share was 11 million 559 thousand drams, the rest was allocated by the Government. As a result of the project, a new one-story kindergarten building with a total area of 1290 square meters and a capacity of 144 places was constructed, the yard was improved, and a 21 kW photovoltaic station was installed.

In the Ashtarak community, the Prime Minister was presented with the reconstruction works of the 11.5 km section of the T-1-25,/M-3/ (Ashtarak) – Parpi – Ghazaravan local road. The total cost of the project amounted to 1 billion 716 million drams.

In the Ashtarak community, the Prime Minister also visited a 10-hectare intensive orchard established by the private sector in the Aragatsotn settlement, where peaches and cherries are grown. The establishment of the orchard was carried out with the support of the “State Support for the Development of Intensive Horticulture, the Introduction of Modern Technologies and the Promotion of the Production of Non-Traditional High-Value Crops for 2021-2026” program. The state compensated the private sector with 120 million 417 thousand drams. Within the framework of the agricultural machinery leasing support program in the Republic of Armenia, agricultural machinery with a total value of about 324 million 908 thousand drams was purchased. The amount of the subsidized amount was 94 million 757 thousand drams.

The next stop of the Prime Minister was in Talin community, where secondary school No. 1 of the Aragatsavan settlement was built. The total cost of the project was 2 billion 462 million 750 thousand drams. As a result of the work carried out within the framework of the Government’s “300 schools to be built, renovated or reconstructed by 2026” program, the Aragatsavan settlement of the Talin community has a newly built school designed for 432 students.

The Prime Minister delivered a welcoming speech at the school, congratulated everyone on the construction of the educational institution, and noted that school visits are becoming a way for energy recovery, because there is constant progress in the quality of construction and general work. “In this regard, I would like to thank all our partners, led by the Deputy Prime Minister, who are implementing the “300 Schools, 500 Kindergartens” project, which is a project of revolutionary significance for Armenia,” said Nikol Pashinyan and emphasized that this is a mega project and it will be ongoing.

In his speech, the Prime Minister noted that, as on all such occasions, he would like to once again draw attention to the fact how these schools and kindergartens are being created. “I would like to return to the same topic, which we have been talking about almost everywhere recently, and I would like to thank all the business entities working in Armenia, paying taxes, creating results, and paying taxes prescribed by law. I would like to thank all those citizens who do not forget to take a cash register receipt with them when making purchases. It is very important that this perception be strengthened in the consciousness of our children from today," noted Nikol Pashinyan.

The Prime Minister emphasized in his speech that although the necessary physical conditions are provided for the education of children, it is also important to ensure quality education and in this context to encourage teachers to pass certification. Nikol Pashinyan also noted that a formula has been developed, according to which already certified teachers will have the opportunity to pass
new certification and their salaries will be much higher. “We continuously encourage our beloved teachers to go and take, stretch out their hands and take the salaries that have been increased by the Government.”

Summing up his speech, Prime Minister once again emphasized the importance of quality education and noted: “Therefore, the formula “The state must strengthen the person, the person must strengthen the state” is fully concentrated in this school and other similar schools and in our education system in general.”

Next, the Prime Minister visited Shirak region. Nikol Pashinyan's first stop was at the 9 ha strawberry and 14 ha berry greenhouse in Artik community. It was also established by the private sector within the framework of the state support program for the development of intensive gardening in the Republic of Armenia. Within the framework of the agro-food sector equipment leasing support program, 2 pieces of equipment were purchased with a total value of 20 million 500 thousand drams: a self-propelled automatic sprayer, a self-propelled greenhouse platform for plant protection using ultraviolet radiation. The amount of the government subsidy amounted to 600 thousand drams. Within the framework of the investment program, the privilege of exempting imported technological equipment from import customs duties was applied for the construction of the greenhouse. A loan of 25 million drams was attracted under the loan component of the program. The amount of the subsidized amount was 16 million 742 thousand drams.

Next, the Prime Minister visited the Youth Center of the Akhuryan settlement, where the total cost of the works carried out within the framework of the grant program amounted to about 26 million drams. 65.2% of the cost, 16 million 947 thousand drams, was allocated from the state budget. The center was included in the list of 25 youth centers planned for the end of 2026 by the Government of the Republic of Armenia's 2021-2026 activity program. As a result of the implementation of the program, an area of 230 square meters of the building allocated by the community was renovated, furnished and equipped. At least 246 young people used the center's services annually in the program areas committed under the grant application. From January 1, 2026 to April 15, 2,284 visitors were registered.

Nikol Pashinyan also visited primary school No. 41 of the Gyumri community, where renovation works were carried out. The total cost of the program was 543 million 672 thousand drams. As a result of the work carried out within the framework of the Government's "300 Schools to be Built, Renovated or Reconstructed by 2026" program, the Gyumri community has a renovated school designed for 710 students.

The Prime Minister's last stop was at the newly built educational complex in the Keti settlement of the Akhuryan community. Nikol Pashinyan toured the educational complex, got acquainted with the work carried out and the created conditions. The total cost of the project amounted to 1 billion 557 million 482 thousand drams. The educational complex is designed for 140 students, and the preschool is for 40 children.

Nikol Pashinyan made a speech at the educational complex, congratulating everyone on the opening. The Prime Minister noted that this school is the second such educational complex to be opened in the republic, which is designed for students from more than one settlement, in this case, for students from the Keti, Pokrashen and Hovuni settlements. In this context, the Prime Minister touched upon the discussions that the opening of such schools contributes to the emptying of villages. Responding, Nikol Pashinyan noted that the opening of such educational complexes is aimed at solving the problem of emptying villages, as they provide children with the opportunity to receive modern education in a proper physical environment: "It is important that the school has a proper environment, a normal cafeteria, a normal stage, the school must have laboratories, laboratory equipment. The most important thing for education is the educational environment. This is our approach."

In his speech, the Prime Minister also touched upon the issue of providing transportation services or reimbursement of transportation costs for students, emphasizing that the Government is also taking steps in this direction.

Addressing the students, the Prime Minister emphasized: “Dear children, I am sure that you will like the school. Here is an educational environment, here is a sports environment, here is a creative environment. Look, you have a very good basketball court, you have a volleyball court, you have a very good football field, you have bicycles, you have a tennis table, you have balls, you have laboratory equipment and you have good teachers. Everything is available for you to study well to ensure your future good life.”

During his speech at this educational complex, Nikol Pashinyan also thanked all citizens working in the Republic of Armenia, creating results, and paying taxes as prescribed by law, emphasizing that it is thanks to them that such schools are built.

Summing up his speech, the Prime Minister said: “I congratulate all of us and wish you a good life in this school, because this school is a place to live, a place built for life, and the inseparable companion of life is learning. The more we live and combine our lives with learning, the better our lives become as individuals, as a society, as a state, as a people, and as citizens.”