“last Bell” - Verjin Zang

[MosJan]

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Ringing in Restraint: Officials make unofficial attempt to down-size “Last Bell” festivities

By Marianna Grigoryan
ArmeniaNow Reporter

As expendable cash has become a luxury for Yerevan elite, the gap between the haves and have nots is demonstrated each spring when youth celebrate “Last Bell”, the end of their school years.

A tradition that, dating back to Soviet times, was a quaint but heartfelt opportunity for classmates to say goodbye to secondary school and thank teachers with bouquets, has become a fashion show and an exercise in excess that is damaging to the psyche of those unable to spend freely.

That, anyway, is the opinion of education officials, who are taking measures (though unofficially) to discourage excess during this year’s Last Bell.

“We want the graduates to feel themselves equal,” says Silva Achoyan, Deputy Head of Education and Science Department at the Municipality Administration. “The inequality is becoming more and more obvious with each year.”

Achoyan says that for several years each Last Bell has seen an increase of extravagance – from formal wear for celebrating students, to expensive gifts for teachers – that leaves many students feeling unworthy because they cannot afford the same as the well-off. The result is that more and more students are choosing to not attend school functions, rather than be embarrassed. Some families go into burdensome debt in order to give the appearance that their children have just as much as the others.

“Many parents say they have been waiting for ten years to organize a Last Bell ceremony for their kid, but the notion of the Last Bell should first of all refer to learning, when a period in life is over and another begins,” says Achoyan. “And this event turns into a restaurant feast and a period full of dangers.”

Despite the special control of the police during those days accidents still increase during the period, often when teenagers drive unsupervised, frequently under the influence of alcohol.

“Everything should be regulated; this has been decided during a special meeting and although there will be no official order, however there is a special decision the school principles, the parents and the school children are informed about,” says Achoyan.

According to the Municipality officials the decision prohibits organizing feasts in restaurants within the frameworks of last bell celebrations, and seeks to crack down on teenage drivers and general hooliganism that has been widely ignored during Last Bell celebrations.

“Giving extravagant gifts to teachers has also become a generally adopted matter which is still unacceptable. According to the decision those kinds of things have also been advised to stop,” says the expert. “In case of extreme desire to make a present a teacher may be presented with flowers or a book or a touching verse, which is an invaluably luxurious present.”

Achoyan says both the teacher and the student should be advised to tone down the Last Bell festivities.

And in case when the students still decide to override the decision and have a Last Bell feast, teachers should avoid taking part.

“We are confident it is pedagogically wrong when the teacher goes to a restaurant with the school children, take alcohol and then take exams a few days later from the same pupils,” says Achoyan. “In this case neither the pupil seems to treat the teacher seriously nor the teacher himself. Even if they decide to have a feast and invite the teacher they should do it after the exams.”

Karine Grigoryan, head of the Public Relations Department at the Ministry of Education and Science, says the Ministry and the Municipality hope the decision will bring at least some restraints in the row of the Last Bell events.

Grigoryan says, not the Last Bell events, but the overindulgences and improper luxury will be eliminated.

“When teachers told us one shouldn’t dream of celebrating in the restaurant because of the ban we were upset,” says Arpine Mikaelyan, a 10th grade pupil. “But our parents were very happy about it for they could avoid additional expenses.”

Mikaelyan says they have even held a discussion with schoolchildren and although they were upset they still agreed with the perspective to give up the idea of the restaurant.

“All of us have witnessed what was happening during the Last Bell ceremonies in the last years; I think nothing should be treated that close,” says another 10th grade pupil Liana Khachatryan. “Although we have heard about the decision we have still decided to celebrate our Last Bell at a restaurant, though modestly. The possibility for celebrating in a restaurant is acceptable to me, but there’s no need to go too far.”

Achoyan says the school principals have expressed different attitudes toward the decision; however, most of them have voiced their consent.

“We are well aware we can’t change anything in one day but we hope everything will settle down in a natural way as time passes and all these are for the sake of the pupils,” says Achoyan.

[MosJan]

in 2004 I was in Armenia wan the Verjin Zang was Being celebrated - the author of the article is 101% correct on it’ s observation’s

 

#1 - at list 4 or 5 of our friends have asked me to take some dress or clothing and $$$ f or their family in Armenia - and all of them was for Verjin Zang

In Armenia – our phone was ringing of the wall wan we gat home from the airport – one was even Complaining that whey didn’t I call sooner or as soon as we got home ….

 

all around Yerevan you can se this “nice” tradition taking place - but at what cost ??

 

Um eq Zarmatsnum ?? inchi Arjeqov ??

 

hajeli e - lav urraxanal - qef anel - hishel hishetsnel - hargel yev sa e or pit hisheq - baystte - merqq eq iy mard ararats - poxanak Shnorqin Sikov - NOrmal - --- Annormal - p@jnvats yev nuynisk voch sazakn hagustov yev .. ehh

 

bayst te lav sovorutyuna lav husher a Ardnatsnum

Muth Gisher ~ yerku Zuyg Achqer ~ mi qich Ginov ~~`

 

 

 

HAyyy Huyyyyy JAhelutyun