March 1 in History Textbooks: Publication Delays and Experts Unable to Reach Consensus

In terms of content, discussions are underway regarding the history textbook of Armenia, stated the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Arayik Harutyunyan, during a press briefing with journalists.

“The discussions are very complex, and the commission is unable to reach a conclusion; some experts are writing completely different things in those materials,” he said.

When asked whether the disagreements are related to the representation of the March 1 events, Harutyunyan noted, “It relates to both the March 1 events and the elections, as well as political assessments.”

Harutyunyan assured that the delayed publication of textbooks will not affect the teaching process. “The problematic topics are addressed in the second semester; perhaps the initial topics will be taught using old books until they reach those subjects,” he explained.

The Minister also mentioned that as long as the criminal case regarding March 1 is ongoing, this also creates challenges for articulating that topic in the textbooks. “We are examining the experiences of several countries. There are countries that have not included their historical episodes from the last 20-25 years in their textbooks. Armenia can also apply that experience,” he added.