The 51st International Physics Olympiad (International Virtual Physics Olympiad) was organized on December 7-14, 2020. The Azerbaijani students joined the online Olympiad, where 235 participants from 47 countries competed. Students representing Azerbaijan successfully participated in the Olympiad, which consisted of theoretical and practical rounds. Thus, Murad Bashirov, an 11th grade student of the Sumgait Gymnasium of Natural Sciences, won a bronze medal, Siraj Yahyazadeh, an 11th grade student of the same gymnasium, and Ayhan Suleymanzadeh, an 11th grade student of the Baku Turkish Lyceum of the Turkish Solidarity Foundation, were awarded the "Incentive Award" certificate.

15/12/2020 18:18

More than 580,000 students, 310,000 parents, 52,000 teachers and 19,000 schools from 64 countries participated in the TIMSS 2019 international assessment. 194 schools, 5,300 students, about 5,300 parents and 310 teachers from Azerbaijan were involved in the TIMSS 2019 international assessment. Our country was represented in this study only by grade four students. According to the results of the study in mathematics, our country has achieved a significant result. The Azerbaijani students scored 515 points and ranked 28th place among 58 countries participating in this direction in the study. The TIMSS mathematical achievement of Azerbaijan in 2019 increased from 463 points to 515 points, this is an increase of 52 points compared to the corresponding figure in 2011. With this result, Azerbaijan is considered the country showing the highest result in the South Caucasus. Our country is in the 50th place with 427 points in natural sciences. In addition, there has also been a significant increase in the number of our students achieving the “excellent” and “high” benchmarks. Thus, while in 2011, 21% of our students scored "excellent" and "high" grades in mathematics, in 2019 this result was 36%. The main purpose of the TIMSS international study is to examine the system's achievement trends in a global context, gather information on education policies, assess the impact of updated policies, clarify areas of low performance and promote relevant reforms, as well as along with revealing the results of students' knowledge of mathematics and natural sciences, to obtain valuable information about home and school contexts for teaching and learning. The TIMSS study, conducted by the International Association for the Assessment of Educational Achievement since 1995 and every four years (1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019), is an international survey that assesses students' knowledge of mathematics and natural sciences in grades IV and VIII. In total, about 70 countries use the TIMSS data to assess the effectiveness of their education systems, and new countries join TIMSS in each assessment. It should be noted that our country last participated in the TIMSS study in 2011 and was represented only by grade four students.

14/12/2020 11:54

The next public figure of the "Famous Teachers of Karabakh" project of the Ministry of Education is Famil Mehdi. He was born on December 25, 1934 in Sarihajili village of Aghdam region. Being engaged in active pedagogical activity, Famil Mehdi worked at the faculty of philology of the Azerbaijan State University (nowadays Baku State University) as a teacher and senior lecturer,  head of the department of theory and practice of journalism at the faculty of journalism. Famil Mehdi is one of the authors of the textbook entitled "Issues of Journalism" for university students. The poet, doctor of philological sciences, professor Famil Mehdi devoted about 50 years of his life to his people and the development of science and art. His voice was heard in auditoriums, at the scientific and theoretical conferences where serious discussions were held, at meetings with intellectuals, ordinary people, soldiers, from tribunes where the pulse of the time was beating and the fate of the people was decided. Famil Mehdi, who was describing his poems as an autobiography, said: "My poems are my faith, my struggle, my pride, as well as my cowardice, my weakness, my helpless and my loneliness". According to Famil Mehdi, who advised always to be strong-willed, if a person shows principle and finds courage in himself, he can even overcome death. It should be noted that the "Famous Teachers of Karabakh" project provides information about famous persons born in Karabakh who were engaged in pedagogical activity at that time. The aim of the project is to commemorate famous teachers originally from Karabakh.

30/11/2020 11:46

The next public figure of the "Famous Teachers of Karabakh" project of the Ministry of Education is Mammad Aslan. He was born on December 24, 1939 in Lachin village of Kalbajar region. After graduating from higher education in 1962, he was sent to his native Kalbajar region. He started his labor career as a teacher of Azerbaijani language and literature in Yanshag and Istisu village schools of Kalbajar region. The poems of Mammad Aslan, a talented man of words who has left his mark on our literature, reflect all the natural beauties of Kalbajar. His friends called him Kalbajar itself. Kalbajar was both the beginning and the end of Mammad Aslan's speech. "It never comes out of my sleep, it never goes out of my sight. For me, Kalbajar is another world, another longing. Kalbajar has remained as an example of honor and dignity for me," he said. The poet wrote in one of his poems, "That Kalbajar will not return, if it returns, hundreds of Kalbajar will return ..." But today that Kalbajar has returned, 27 years later Kalbajar was liberated from occupation ... It should be noted that the "Famous Teachers of Karabakh" project provides information about famous people born in Karabakh and engaged in pedagogical activities. The aim of the project is to commemorate famous teachers originally from Karabakh.

27/11/2020 11:37

The next historical figure of the "Famous Teachers of Karabakh" project of the Ministry of Education is Soltan Hajibeyov. An Azerbaijani composer, conductor, pedagogue Soltan Hajibeyov was born in 1919 in Shusha. Soltan Hajibeyov entered the history of Azerbaijani music culture as a composer, pedagogue and music public figure with a unique talent. Along with folk music, his father's cousin, genius Uzeyir Hajibeyov had a great contribution to his upbringing and formation as a composer. He moved to Baku in 1930 and lived in the family of Uzeyir Hajibeyov. Soltan Hajibeyov had worked as a teacher at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory since 1948. In 1948-1956 he was first the artistic director and then the director of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic. From 1969 to the end of his life he worked as the rector of the Azerbaijan State Conservatory. It should be noted that the "Famous Teachers of Karabakh" project provides information about famous people born in Karabakh and engaged in pedagogical activities. The aim of the project is to commemorate famous teachers originally from Karabakh.

25/11/2020 10:30

The next public figure of "Famous teachers of Karabakh" project of the Ministry of Education is Safarali bey Valibeyov. He was born in 1861 in Shusha.  After graduating from the Gori Teachers' Seminary in 1881, Safarali bey began his career as a teacher and worked at the seminary until 1896. He was one of the first three young Azerbaijanis to graduate from the Gori Teachers' Seminary. He spent about 20 years of his life in pedagogical work, raising dozens of talented young people. Every time when he was coming to Shusha to rest during the holidays, he was teaching children free of charge and preparing them for secondary and higher education institutions. Since the 80s of the XIX century, the efforts of leading intellectuals to establish a school of the mother tongue had been growing. One of such schools was opened in 1883 in Shusha by Safarali bey. At his school there were 25 pupils from different social strata.  Safarali bey moved from Gori to Baku in 1896. He taught here for two years. Prominent personalities such as Jalil Mammadguluzade, Nariman Narimanov, Suleyman Sani Akhundov received their primary education from him. Safarali Bey was not only known as a good teacher among his contemporaries. He was also known as a prominent educator, a master methodologist, a skilled translator, and a scholar with extensive knowledge. It should be noted that the "Famous Teachers of Karabakh" project provides information about famous people born in Karabakh and engaged in pedagogical activities. The aim of the project is to commemorate famous teachers originally from Karabakh.

23/11/2020 18:46

On November 20, the Minister of Education Emin Amrullayev met with the rector of Nisantasi University of the Republic of Turkey Shenay Yalchin. During the meeting the Minister of Education Emin Amrullayev reported that the 44-days the Great Patriotic War ended with a glorious victory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. During this period, 10 schoolchildren were killed, 16 schoolchildren were injured and 50 educational institutions were destroyed as a result of the Armenian armed forces' aggression against the civilian population of Azerbaijan and missile strikes on various cities and regions. The Minister of Education highly appreciated the visit of the delegation of the Nisantasi University to Ganja during its visit to Azerbaijan and the statement made there condemning the Armenian attacks. In the statement, the rector of Nisantasi University Shenay Yalchin once again condemned the aggression of Armenia and supported the fair position of Azerbaijan. The rector stressed that the higher education institution that he heads intends to provide scholarships to young people from families affected by the conflict.

23/11/2020 14:13

The Minister of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan Emin Amrullayev held a video conference with Vice President of “Microsoft” corporation Anthony Salcito and the corporation's regional representatives for Europe.   During the video conference, the sides exchanged views on the successful results of the “Virtual School” project - the largest national online platform in the country, which was created in a short time in Azerbaijan, expanding cooperation within the project and improving education decision-making based on information collected in the system. The exchange of experience of Azerbaijan in the field of distance education with other countries was also discussed. In addition, the sides discussed the issues of application of modern technologies in educational institutions that would be newly built in the liberated territories, the application of “Microsoft” content in the professional advanced training of teachers, the use of artificial intelligence and cloud technologies, the organization of distance learning trainings for parents, cooperation with the company on “Microsoft” licensing in the coming years.

23/11/2020 14:12

Republic of Azerbaijan has signed a long-term cooperation agreement with “Alston” Publishing House. The aim is to exchange experiences, improve education curricula on subjects on natural sciences, as well as textbooks. The project will be implemented by the Institute of Education. It should be noted that the Cabinet of Ministers approved the "State Standards of General Education in the Republic of Azerbaijan." According to the document, it is planned to teach the subject "Nature" in the 5th grade. For this purpose, in the initial stage of the joint project with the Singapore publishing house, curricula, training and teaching materials on teaching natural sciences at the primary education level will be analyzed on the basis of consultations of foreign experts. International experience and the requirements of the 21st century will also be studied, and updates will be made in accordance with the relevant recommendations. Distance trainings will be held for Azerbaijani subject specialists in order to improve educational programs in natural sciences and prepare textbooks. Within the framework of the project, the content standards on natural sciences in the curriculum of I-IV grades on the subject "Knowledge of Life" will be updated and the content standards on the subject of "Nature" of the 5th grade will be written. In addition, a textbook concept for the 5th grade subject "Nature" and a new textbook set will be prepared on the basis of this concept. According to international assessment studies in the field of general education, Singapore has one of the best education systems in the world. According to the 2015 report of the International Assessment Program on Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS - Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), Singapore's fourth-graders ranked first among 47 countries with an average of 590 points in natural sciences, while eighth-graders averaged 597 points and ranked first among 39 countries. In addition, according to the 2018 report of the Program for International Assessment of Student’s Achievements (PISA), the average achievement of 15-year-old Singaporean students in the natural sciences was 551 points, which means the 2nd place among the participating countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

23/11/2020 14:10

The next online ministerial conference of the member countries of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) was held on November 19. The ministers of education from 48 countries that have joined the EHEA, including the Minister of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan Emin Amrullayev attended the event and made speeches. In his speech, Emin Amrullayev spoke about the reforms being implemented in the field of higher education in our country and successes in this direction in recent years. The event, chaired by Italy, discussed the future of the EHEA, prospects for development and cooperation. It was noted that over the next 10 years the development of the EHEA will be based on three core values and goals: inclusiveness of higher education (social inclusion), innovation, cooperation and mobility. The conference ended with the adoption of a Declaration.

23/11/2020 14:08