Parents even want their nanny to be a psychologist (video)
Eda will graduate from university in several months. She is a fourth-year student majoring in Special Education at Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU). “We cannot complain of our profession because it is one of the most in-demand occupations [in the country]. There is an increasing demand for qualified specialists in all educational institutions, starting from nursery schools to assessment centers,” says Eda Kalashyan, a fourth-year student of the Faculty of Special Education. The Faculty was opened in 2011. Only Armenian State Pedagogical University has such a faculty. The demand for special educational needs (SEN) teachers has increased in Armenia after the introduction of the inclusive education system in the country. “Our specialists are recruited not only in the education sector, but also in clinics, hospitals, special centers, etc. We do not experience difficulties in finding a job because the profession is very popular today. We have noticed that nowadays most parents are looking for a nanny who is a graduate of our Faculty,” says Armenuhi Avagyan, Dean of the Faculty of Special Education at ASPU. Currently, the Faculty has 1147 students. Every year, about 160 graduates receive a diploma with a Bachelor's or Master’s degree in ispeech and language therapy, educational psychology, special education or some other area. Of course, all graduates cannot find jobs. Armenuhi Avagyan says the reason is not the lack of jobs but the absence of desire among graduates. Inclusive education will become available in all the schools by 2025; education must be equally accessible to all. However, the process does not seem promising at this point. So far, inclusive education has been introduced in 260 of the 1464 schools.
