Strong Armenia party pledges return of church history subject to schools

The opposition Strong Armenia party would seek to restore "History of the Armenian Church" as a standalone school subject if it wins the June 7 parliamentary election, senior party member Narek Karapetyan said on Saturday.

Speaking during a discussion on education policy with Tavush Diocese representative Tovmas Arakelyan, Karapetyan said the party would make the issue one of its first priorities in office.

He said schools should place greater emphasis on teaching students about Armenia's history, heritage and national identity, arguing that a stronger understanding of the country would help foster patriotism.