Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hosted the winners of Kangaroo 2018 international contest in mathematics and Bee-2017 Armenian language competition, as well as the best Armenian schoolchildren and students from all Marzes and Artsakh, who boasted high academic performance in 2017-2018.

Congratulating the schoolchildren for outstanding achievements in Armenia and at international Olympiads, the Premier handed them awards, medals, certificates and gifts, together with the RA Minister of Education and Science.

In his greeting remarks, Prime Minister Pashinyan said:

“Dear Pupils and Graduates,
Dear Guests,

Why is this event so important, and why are we giving these awards and gifts in such solemn conditions? The reason is obvious: because there is nothing more important than education in the modern world. Everything you see here and what you are dealing with is related to education. If it were not for education, there would not be the chairs on which you are sitting, since anyone goes through education before mastering the art of making chairs.

That is, owing to education, man was able to create chairs, shoes and clothes, let alone loudspeakers, cameras and the Internet. After all, many scientific and artistic compositions have been created owing to education. Finally, as a result of education, people realized the need for respecting the rights of another person and generally human rights. I would like to give you an example: they say that today mankind has reached the highest level of civilization, that is, the word “civilization” is used to describe today’s world. In this way, we mean that mankind has reached the highest point of development through education.

Education is especially badly needed in Armenia: I want all of us to record what major changes are taking place in Armenia and what has already happened. I want to tell you about a new success formula in the new Armenia. How did it come about to perceive the path of success in the not so distant past? In order to succeed, one was supposed to have a good “backpack,” good “skills” not that much related to education. This is exactly what has changed in the new Armenia, and the success of each of you no longer depends on others. Your success depends on yourselves, because the most important mission of the new Armenian government is to create an all-inclusive environment of equal opportunities, and each of you will have these opportunities.

Today, in order to succeed in Armenia - and it will be the case tomorrow and every other day from mow on – anyone, including the Prime Minister, should acknowledge that success largely depends on what they are doing now, and how much education continues to be a daily necessity for them. In the Republic of Armenia, and unfortunately, elsewhere, too, education is believed to be an occupation for children, teenagers and at best for students. But education is to be a daily business for everyone in the 21st century; education is the most important occupation in the 21st century.

I like to assert that every professional and any individual is doomed to inevitably lose if they fail to add something to their knowledge every day, if they fail to achieve an educational standard higher than the previous day. Finally, education is the most important way to find out one’s own mission.
Generally, I think that every person at the moment of birth is assuming a certain mission. This mission is to make our country a better planet, and only through education, through the way of education, a person can understand what the purpose of his world is, what the mission he can accomplish and fulfill, the planet Earth, its own to make the homeland and the environment better.

We make this ceremony in solemn conditions because you all, with strong steps, are moving forward by finding the mission, by the way of education, the name and surname of each of you read here and the word "best result" was mentioned.

I hope that when we talk about Armenia's economy, we will put a middle point and will add the best outcome when we talk about the healthcare of Armenia and put the intermediate point and say the best result when we talk about the security level of Armenia we will say and say the best result when we talk about the increase in the number of people in Armenia, the growth, the intermediate point, and we will say the best result when we talk about technology advancement in Armenia - we will put a middle point and say , The best outcome when we talk about human and civic happiness indicators, we will put a middle point and say the best outcome when we talk about an independent judiciary, free press, democracy, law, human rights, best governance, rule of law, the best result.

I am hopeful that just as you are striving now for the best possible result, all of us - the people of Armenia, the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh - shall be heading for the best result with steadfast and confident steps.

So, long live freedom! Long live the Republic of Armenia! Long live you and long live we and our children who are living and will live in a free and happy Armenia.”