YEREVAN. – Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has no right to assume the function of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports either on himself or on the government. Former Nature Protection Minister, ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party Supreme Body member Artsvik Minasyan told this to reporters during the ARF-organized protest rally outside the ministry today, referring to the demand for Minister Arayik Harutyunyan's resignation and the Prime Minister's statement that the government is responsible for the education and culture policy.

"And if Nikol Pashinyan declares that he is the master and author of this antinational agenda, then he should leave," Minasyan said. "But there is still a chance for that policy to change."

The ARF Youth Union has launched a sit-in outside the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport four days ago, demanding the resignation of Minister Arayik Harutyunyan. Students of the Yerevan State University Faculties of Armenian Philology and History have declared a boycott of classes with the same demand, and today they marched passing by other universities and called on to join their fight.

Students have also begun a signature campaign, to which they say 800 students have joined.

The Kamq initiative is also holding a protest outside the Ministry building demanding the resignation of the Minister.

All of these protesters 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.

Arayik Harutyunyan had announced that he was not going to resign.

Speaking to protesters on Friday, Nikol Pashinyan said he did not share their views and that the government was accountable for education and culture policies.