Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the opening ceremony of the newly built secondary school in the village of Shatjrek, Gegharkunik Province. The Government allocated over 820 million drams for the project's implementation.

As a result, a new modular school building with a capacity of 144 students was constructed. The old school building was demolished, the courtyard was improved, and a 67 kW photovoltaic power plant was installed.

Nikol Pashinyan delivered a speech and congratulated those present on the commissioning of the school. The Prime Minister emphasized that students from neighboring villages will also be able to attend the newly built school. "It is crucial to have a school that inspires students to learn, and yes, we now have such a school—a place where children can learn, be creative, engage in sports, compete, and simply live. Our vision is that after classes, children should not just go home but should spend time at the school," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister added that this infrastructure is also vital for the local community, as various programs are being developed to enable adults to utilize these spaces to improve their quality of life and engage in new forms of social interaction and activities.

Addressing the results of the PISA study—which showed poor performance by Armenian students—the Prime Minister remarked: "That study speaks about the absence of a proper school system in the Republic of Armenia for decades. And yes, we must now, in essence, create the school system of the Republic of Armenia, the school system of the Fourth Republic."

Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the Government of the Republic of Armenia is doing its utmost to create favorable conditions and opportunities for education in the country. The Prime Minister identified the voluntary teacher certification program as a key factor in ensuring quality education and noted that the program will be ongoing.

In his concluding remarks, the Prime Minister stated: "The school must be full of life, because ultimately, the life we desire must first be built within the school. The life built in school is what subsequently manifests in the outside world; the life we have now is a reflection of the life we shaped in schools—in classrooms, gymnasiums, assembly halls, on school stages, and so forth.

Creativity is an integral part of learning; one cannot learn without being creative. Creativity and a creative mindset are paramount, and in my view, the same applies to the teacher. Teachers, too, must be creative and learn through that creativity; all our decisions and policies are aimed at fostering and encouraging the creative teacher. A teacher needs to know that their creative and effective work is valued by the state—by the Republic of Armenia.

Tomorrow marks the 35th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Armenia, and I would like to take this opportunity to personally congratulate you all on this significant holiday. Independence is what we shape it like. Therefore, our task is to make our independence, our state, our community, our region, our environment, and our school better, more competitive, and more attractive with each passing year. And that attractiveness and competitiveness should empower our children to study well and live well.”

Next, Nikol Pashinyan visited the “Oven Festival'' in the settlement of Shatjrek. It was organized by the Kenarar Foundation and children from the villages of the Vardenis community, with the support of regional and local authorities. The festival was held within the framework of the Foundation’s “School of Leaders” program. The program aims to discover and develop the leadership skills of young people.