community, Tavush Marz
The coronavirus pandemic and restrictions caused by the pandemic created new challenges for the general education around the world. In the most vulnerable situation were especially those communities, where schools and educational institutions are not provided with safe sanitary and hygienic conditions, constant running water and disinfectants, which creates a favourable environment for the spread of the virus.
Right after the outbreak of the pandemic in Armenia Open Society Foundations Armenia focused on the global issue of ensuring a safe educational environment and the unimpeded realization of children’s right to education during the pandemic.
After studying and holding discussions with a number of state bodies, international and non-governmental organizations, as well as educational institutions, Open Society Foundations Armenia decided to support the improvement of the sanitary and hygienic conditions of schools in a number of communities of remote and border settlements of the republic, thus contributing to the realization of the right of students to receive education in a safe and secure environment in those communities.
With the joint efforts of Open Society Foundations Armenia and Armenian Territorial Development Fund the repair works of the sanitary facilities, as well as the improvement of the water supply and drainage system were launched in Berdavan, Voskepar, Nerkin Tsaghkavan, Aygedzor communities of Tavush Marz in 2021. Due to those activities, more than 700 students and dozens of teachers carry out the educational process in a safer and more secure environment.
Thus, in the secondary school of Berdavan community, where 365 students currently study, three sanitary facilities located on the left side of the school building have been renovated and all sanitary fittings have been replaced.
According to the principle of the school Arevik Asatryan, the school was put into operation in 1971 and has not been renovated since. The sanitary facilities of the school building were not used for quite a long time, which created inconveniences for the students and faculty of the school.
of Berdavan community school
“Renovation of sanitary facilities was an urgent matter for the school, especially during the pandemic. Within the renovation works everything was changed. the pipeline of the sanitary facilities has been replaced, the walls have been levelled, the problem of connecting the general sewer lines has been solved. New toilets and sinks have been installed. The school is provided with constant running water” told us the principal of Berdavan border community secondary school.
community, Tavush Marz
Within the framework of the project, а non-functioning 143-meter-long sewer line in the secondary school of Voskepar community of Tavush Marz, has been completely renovated.
the principle of Voskepar community school
“The main issue of the school was the external sewerage, which did not comply with any applicable standard. Before the implementation of the project, the school had 6 sanitary facilities, of which only two functioned. The others did not function as the sewerage was clogged. After the reconstruction of the external sewerage, all 6 sanitary facilities are currently functioning” told the principle of Voskepar secondary school Harutyun Alaverdyan.
Within the framework of the works implemented in the secondary school of Nerkin Tsaghkavan community, four sanitary facilities were renovated, water tanks and stalls were installed.
of Nerkin Tsaghkavan community school
According to the principal of the school Davit Yolchyan, the problem of repairing the sanitary facilities was extremely acute, especially after the students returned to school in the conditions of the pandemic. “Constantly running water is very important in school in order to ensure the hygiene of students. The renovation of the sanitary facilities was extremely urgent”– stressed the principal of the school.
The construction of a 30-meter-long sewer line and the renovation of 4 sanitary facilities is currently undergoing in a secondary school of Aygedzor community.
Open Society Foundations Armenia carried out this initiative with an aim of ensuring the right to education of school-age children. “Every child of the republic should have the opportunity to exercise his or her right to education in an environment that contributes to the preservation of the child’s health and the general development. During the epidemic, the issue of maintaining the health of students and teachers in schools became even more important and urgent”, noted OSF Education program coordinator Anahit Galikyan.
“Considering the urgency of tackling the problem, Armenian Territorial Development Fund took all the care to carry out the work in the shortest possible time with high quality. The repair works of the sanitary facilities are incomplete in only one school at the moment, the full completion of the project will be announced in the next three months”- was noted from Armenian Territorial Development Fund.
Earlier, with the joint efforts of Open Society Foundations Armenia and Fund for Armenian Relief the sanitary facilities of schools in Lusadzor, Getahovit, Achajur, Sevkar, Paravakar and Tavush villages of Tavush Marz were renovated․ Thanks to that program, about 1600 students and 300 teachers of Tavush Marz celebrated the new academic year in a safer sanitary and hygienic environment.