YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. 20 titles of new textbooks, mainly on natural sciences and social sciences subjects, will be introduced to country's comprehensive educational institutions from September of 2007-2008 schoolyear. As Norayr Ghukasian, Director of RA National Institute of Education, reported at the April 10 press conference, the following textbooks will be put into circulation: new textbooks "I and the Environment," "Mathematics," "Mother Tongue" for 2-4th forms, "Natural Science" for 5-6th forms, "Geography" for 6th form. And "History of Armenia" and "World History" will be used as new textbooks for 6-7th forms, "Geography" and "Biology" for 7-8th forms. New textbooks of Chemistry and Physics subjects have been made up for 7-9th forms. New textbooks on History of Armenia and Social Science subjects have been made up for 8-9th forms. In N. Ghukasian's words, before printing the textbooks they in advance made up the criteria, curricula of these subjects, on the basis of which the main textbooks were formed. Alternative textbooks also won in the competition held for new textbooks. In the words of the Institute Director, introduction of alternative textbooks on the same subject is done because they meet the curriculum criteria of the given subject, include all conditions put forward by them, but differ from each other in the respect of statement or commentary. Alternative textbooks together with the main ones can be used in secondary schools and proceeding from the results of their long use an educational institution will have a possibility to choose the main or alternative texbook on the given subject for itself. By the way, there is no alternative textbook only on History of Armenia subject. Nearly 10 publishing-houses took part in the competition announced for publication of new textbooks. Manuals of teachers with the respective speciality were also established by the competition together with all textbooks. In N. Ghukasian's words, the theoretical part was reduced in the new textbooks and the part of practical exercises was increased. To recap, at the first stage of making up new textbooks, in 2006-2007, "Armenian Language," "Literature," "Mathematics," "Informatics" new textbooks were introduced to schools. Introduction of new curriculum criteria and textbooks of art sphere, foreign languages, preliminary military preparedness is planned in 2008-2009 schoolyear. This process consisting of three stages will finish in 2009, as a result of which the nine-year school will be provided with new textbooks and curricula.

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