U.S. Embassy donates new equipment to rural schools in ArmeniaSeptember 19, 2018 - 12:18 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard M. Mills, Jr., along with representatives from the U.S. Embassy’s Office of Defense Cooperation, visited the schools of the Armenian villages of Tsiatsan and Amberd to donate $80,000 worth of new school equipment, training aids, furniture, sports equipment, and kitchen appliances, the Embassy said in a press release. These schools were chosen to receive the donation, provided by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Excess Property program, after Ambassador Mills’ 2015 visit to the region, where he saw first-hand the efforts of the United Nations World Food Program to provide hot meals for primary school students. “It is very special for me to be back here nearly three years after my first visit to these schools, and I am delighted to deliver on the promises I made to you back then,” Ambassador Mills said to an audience of local leaders, school staff and students. “By working with the UN Food Program, you will now have the equipment you need to provide hot meals and educational support to nearly 300 children in your communities.” The goal of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Excess Property program at the Tsiatsan and Amberd Schools is to support the schools by providing new furniture and equipment and to supplement programs implemented by other donors, including the UN World Food Program. The Tsiatsan School, with World Food Program support, began providing hot meals to students in September 2015. Half of the 300 students at the Tsiatsan School receive hot meals through this program. The feeding program at the Amberd School began even earlier, in 2014. Around 120 out of a total of 244 primary grade students benefit from this program. The school feeding program was implemented as a social safety net to provide nutrition and sustenance for children to enable them to focus on their studies. Top stories The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has visited the southern Armenian province of Syunik, the Defense Ministry reported on March 18. Partner news | Turkey extends military presence in Azerbaijan The Turkish parliament has adopted a bill submitted by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to extend the mandate of Turkish troops. Russia to begin assessing migrant workers' speaking skills Rosobrnadzor is planning to change the Russian language exam for migrant workers and include an assessment of speaking skills Armenian, Saudi Foreign Minister meet in Riyadh The two commended the positive dynamics of the development of political dialogue between Armenia and Saudi Arabia Pashinyan: Azerbaijan’s proximity shouldn’t worry border residents At the same time, he said that he “does not guarantee [the security of villagers] one hundred percent”. |