YEREVAN. –Education, Science, Culture and Sports Minister Arayik Harutyunyan and National Assembly Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan came to the Yerevan State University (YSU) 100th anniversary session 20 minutes late and left contemptuously. Speaking to reporters today, Davit Apoyan, President of YSU Student Council, said.

"It's a bigger disgrace to our 100-year-old university," Apoyan said. "This step is condemnable; the Minister and the Speaker of the National Assembly came out with contempt."

Asked by a reporter whether students at the university would not have a problem if they are not attending classes, the student council president said: "The faculties of Armenian History and Philology are in full boycotting of classes; according to my information, there is no problem with absences yet."

Asked if the students are going to give ground after meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Apoyan said: "The students are resolute. After meeting with the Prime Minister, they do not change their position, and the struggle will continue."

Students oppose the ministry's "Higher Education" bill, which proposes making optional at non-vocational faculties in universities the teaching of "Armenian Language" and "Armenian History" subjects that are now mandatory. They have been boycotting classes since November 6 demanding to revise this controversial point in the bill, and have also started collecting signatures.

And ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party youth union representatives have resumed their  sit-in after a two-day break, and demanding Arayik Harutyunyan's resignation.

Harutyunyan had announced that he was not going to resign.