Fewer university entrants raise concerns over Armenia's education system

A decline in university admissions and concerns over falling academic standards have fuelled renewed debate about the state of Armenia's education system, with education experts warning that recent policy changes are discouraging students from pursuing higher education.

One issue drawing criticism is the timing of compulsory military service for male students. Under current rules, many school graduates are drafted immediately after finishing secondary education and learn the outcome of their university entrance examinations only after reporting for military service.

"My son was admitted to university, but he is already serving in the army. What are parents supposed to do now?" is a common complaint posted beneath social media updates from government education authorities.

Education expert Atom Mkrtchyan said the previous system allowed young men to spend at least a year preparing for university entrance examinations before beginning military service, giving them a better chance of securing admission.

"Today they no longer have that opportunity and are drafted immediately after graduating from school. That does not contribute to educational development," he said in an interview with Panorama.am on Tuesday.

Official admission figures point to a downward trend. In 2026, the number of students admitted to Armenian universities fell by around 1,100 compared with 2024 and by approximately 1,350 from 2025.

The government allocated 12,720 university places for the 2026 admissions cycle, including 2,130 state-funded places and 10,587 fee-paying places. However, only 9,620 applicants secured admission. Of those, 1,875 were admitted to state-funded places, including reserved and targeted quotas, while 7,799 enrolled on a fee-paying basis.

Mkrtchyan also criticised Armenia's 12-year school system, arguing that the final year has become increasingly ineffective because many students spend much of their time preparing for entrance examinations with private tutors rather than attending classes.

He said only about one-quarter of school graduates apply to university, adding that just 58.4% of applicants were admitted this year.

"Those who apply are generally students who want to pursue higher education and have either prepared with tutors or performed well at school. Yet only slightly more than half succeed," he said.

According to Mkrtchyan, declining admission rates reflect broader weaknesses in general education despite easier university entrance examinations in recent years. He attributed the deterioration to repeated education reforms, teacher certification requirements and training programs, which he said have failed to improve outcomes and have contributed to teacher shortages. More than 1,000 teaching positions are currently vacant across Armenia's roughly 1,400 schools, he said.

As potential remedies, Mkrtchyan called for replacing incompetent decision-makers and substantially increasing public investment in education.

He noted that Armenia allocates between 2% and 2.4% of its gross domestic product to education, compared with around 5% or more in many developed countries.