ETF COUNTRY INFORMATION FICHE: Armenia

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1 ETF COUNTRY INFORMATION FICHE: Armenia Basic country data Total population: 2,976,566 (Last available year: 213, World Bank) Young dependency ratio: % (Last available year: 213, World Bank) GDP annual growth rate (%) Source: World Bank.

2 9 GDP per capita (current international $) Source: World Bank Employment rate (%) Source: ARMSTAT, Labour Market in the Republic of Armenia.

3 Unemployment rate (%) Total (15-75) Youth (15-24) Source: ARMSTAT, Labour Market in the Republic of Armenia. Share of VET in secondary education (%) Source: Unesco Institute of Statistics.

4 Public expenditure on education as share of GDP (%) Source: Unesco Institute of Statistics. Armenia is a lower middle-income country, which is severely hit by the global crisis. After years of strong growth GDP increased moderately since 21, but has declined in 214. This is mainly caused by a reduction of remittances of migrant workers due to the crisis in Russia. Poverty has increased, in particular in rural areas. Armenia lacks natural resources and, as stated in the Armenian Development Strategy adopted by a Government s decree in March 214, human capital is the country s main asset and education is considered to be the key competitive advantage and the tool to promote the image of a country with developed scientific and technological capacities. The increase of employment through the creation of quality and well-paid jobs is the main objective of the ADS and it will be obtained through increased growth in industry, agriculture services and construction. A reduction of non-formal employment is also expected in particular in agriculture and international economic integration processes are going to play and important role to promote the country s social and economic development. Armenia has opted for joining the Eurasian Union and has not signed the Association Agreement with the EU. VET and employment policy progress since 212 Armenia has decided to introduce a 12-year curriculum to be implemented from The Armenian National Qualifications Framework is developed. Sector skills councils have approved 34 qualification standards. A pilot project has tested validation of non-formal and informal learning for the cook profession. 12 Regional State Colleges provide modern and relevant curricula, are well equipped, have developed school-enterprise cooperation, have career guidance units and are steered by School Boards. The Ministry of Education has increased its grants for VET by 5%, leading to slight increase in middle (secondary) VET participation. A National Training Fund has developed its strategy for to promote CVT. Torino Process 214 priorities for VET and employment reforms: 1) Implementation of Armenian Qualifications Framework and extending the tasks and responsibilities of sector skills councils;

5 2) Facilitate transition from school to work of VET graduates through effective partnerships between education and business, career guidance; 3) Strengthen VET monitoring through identification of indicators to define quality, relevance, efficiency and effectiveness and focus on priority sectors. ETF interventions In 215 the ETF will consolidate its support to career guidance units in key VET colleges and to provide policy advice to the development of a national career guidance policy. Armenia will also participate in the regional project on work-based learning, where peer learning will follow a mapping of work-based learning policies and practice. The outcomes of the peer learning will lead to policy recommendations and follow-up. Armenia participates in the Small Business Act assessment , in which the ETF coordinates the areas of entrepreneurial learning and skills for business. This will lead to a country report and a regional report for the eastern Partnership region. ETF will continue to support the EU-Armenian Mobility Partnership in the area of skills. EU projects In Armenia ETF supports EU interventions and the EU bilateral policy dialogue. In particular, the ETF supports the EU Delegation to monitor the new sector budget support (SPSP) and the EU Mobility Partnership. ETF also provides updated information on employment and VET (employability fiches). EU project title Period Budget ETF role SPSP VET reform M Support to employability and LM efficiency (VET in agriculture) M Project identification Key donors in VET GIZ (Sector skills councils, teacher training), G2/ILO (School management), DVV (LLL), USAID/Save the Children (Skills for disabled). ETF Country Desk Vincent McBride TELEPHONE: Vincent.McBride@etf.europa.eu Further information