The state will provide free textbooks on the basic general education programs for students from 1st to 4th grades of non-state educational institutions, said Sisak Gabrielyan, a deputy from the ruling party.

His remarks came at the January 17 session of the National Assembly during the discussion of the bill on amendments to the law on Education.

The textbooks will be purchased at the expense of the state budget. Thus, according to the current legislation, the state provides free books at the expense of the state budget only students studying at state educational institutions. According to the parliamentarian, this attitude is discriminatory.

He said that there are currently about 48 private schools in the country, where more than 4,000 children study in primary classes, without explaining why taxpayers should pay for the ambitions of some parents who want their children to study in private schools.   

At the same time, there are more than 54 thousand children in primary classes of state educational institutions.