AB Courses in Public Schools Highlighted by Mkhitar Hayrapetyan: STEP.ai Academic Discipline Memorandum Signed

On October 9, Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan attended the memorandum signing ceremony at Synopsis Armenia, marking the implementation of the STEP.ai science and technology education program in general and vocational institutions across Armenia. The memorandum was signed by Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan, AGBU Founder and Chairman Dr. Yervant Zorian, Director of Synopsis Armenia CJSC Hovik Musayelyan, and Executive Director of the Union of Employers of Information and Communication Technologies Eduard Musayelyan.

In his remarks, Minister Hayrapetyan congratulated the attendees and commended the work of Synopsis Armenia, which is grounded in the philosophy of technological education, talent development, and the nurturing of domestic human capital. He emphasized the Armenian Government's commitment to fostering collaboration with private sector partners in a consistent and constructive manner.

Speaking about the STEP.ai program, Minister Hayrapetyan highlighted the importance of preparing students from a young age to engage with artificial intelligence (AI) tools, noting the program reflects a shared commitment to equipping students with these skills at the general education level. "I am confident that this new wave of AI will transform the entire economy and contribute to the effective execution of our digital transformation policy," he said, adding that few countries offer multiple AI programs at the general education level. "This positions Armenia as a nation where traditional approaches to technological development are being replaced by innovative, bold, and flexible strategies," he added.

Minister Andreasyan also underlined the progress achieved through the bold collaboration with the Synopsis Foundation and welcomed the new phase of this partnership. "We are among the few nations with experience in AI education at the school level, thanks to our collaboration with the private sector. While other countries are still contemplating their approach, we have already tested several pilot programs, allowing us to assess and refine our methods. This is a field where we can adapt different strategies for various contexts," she noted, also highlighting the growing international interest in Armenia's experience.

AGBU Armenian Virtual College Founder and Chairman Dr. Yervant Zorian, Synopsis Armenia CJSC Director Hovik Musayelyan, and UEICT Executive Director Eduard Musayelyan also delivered welcome remarks.

The event featured the graduation projects of high school students who completed the first course of the STEP.ai program, followed by a certificate awarding ceremony. Developers of the AI program, experts, students, teachers, school principals, and parents attended the event.

Launched in 2022 in several high schools, the STEP.ai program was developed and implemented by Synopsis Foundation, AGBU Silicon Valley Branch, the Union of Employers of Information and Communication Technologies, Synopsis Armenia Department of Education, and AGBU Armenian Virtual College. The program includes three courses, with video lessons and multimedia content supported by modern distance learning technologies.