Most of the 4500 Employees of Kindergartens Will Stay Home, Approximately 500 Will Work in Duty Kindergartens, Says Deputy Mayor

Yerevan's Deputy Mayor Tigran Virabyan wrote on his Facebook page: “Many of our citizens with preschool-aged children understandably disapprove of the decision to temporarily close kindergartens and leave only two duty kindergartens open in each district.”

He highlighted the main inconveniences: “Children are accustomed to their groups, peers, and teachers; adapting to a new environment will be difficult, and children will be subjected to stress. Their usual kindergartens are mostly close to home, but during this period, they will have to travel longer distances, sometimes spending extra money and more time on transport to reach the duty kindergartens.”

“All these issues are understandable, as we all face the inconveniences brought by the notorious pandemic—from wearing masks to the restrictions on traveling and seeing our elderly relatives. And it may not be excessive to mention that we are undertaking this forced measure motivated by the safety of our kindergarten staff and children. In ‘normal’ times, around 4500 people work in kindergartens; as a result of this measure, most of them will stay home (of course, continuing to be paid), and about 500 people will work in the duty kindergartens.”

“Children who are already adapted to the kindergarten environment will also be able to adjust more easily to this new situation with the help of their parents. This is truly one of the necessary measures if we want to return to the course of normal life as soon as possible and with minimal issues.”

“In any case, the city authorities are asking for the understanding of Yerevan residents regarding the created inconveniences and express confidence that through our collective efforts, we will overcome these difficult times. Thank you for your understanding.”