“Zhoghovurd”: Zhanna Andreasian’s Close Friend Appointed to Another High-Ranking Position Following the Management Crisis at the Pedagogical University
Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasian has appointed Lilit Mkrtchyan Deputy Chair of the Higher Education and Science Committee. Until then, Mkrtchyan had held the position of Acting Rector of the Armenian State Pedagogical University named after Khachatur Abovyan. On the occasion of this appointment, the Zhoghovurd daily raises the question: by what criteria do individuals who have worked at institutions that have experienced management crises occupy high-ranking positions in the education system?
According to the minister, Mkrtchyan will continue to contribute to the development not only of the Pedagogical University but also of the country’s other higher education institutions. However, beyond this official assessment, the public still needs to understand what results she achieved as acting head of the university and what justified her new appointment.
The question is not accidental. On March 9, 2026, the RA Anti-Corruption Committee announced that the materials of criminal proceedings concerning individuals who had held the positions of former rector and vice-rector of the Pedagogical University, as well as eight other individuals, had been sent to court.
According to law enforcement authorities, the episodes under investigation in the case concern an alleged bribe of around 18 million drams and the alleged embezzlement of a further approximately 12 million drams. In total, the amount in question is around 30 million drams, which, according to the accusation, was not entered into the university’s accounts.
These accusations must still be assessed through judicial proceedings. However, a scandal of this kind surrounding a state university provides sufficient grounds to raise questions about management effectiveness, oversight, and accountability.
Lilit Mkrtchyan assumed the position of acting rector of the university during a period when the institution continued to operate under the shadow of the criminal case surrounding its former leadership. Now, she has been appointed to another responsible position in the field of higher education and science.
The Zhoghovurd daily also points to the close friendship between Mkrtchyan and Zhanna Andreasian. This circumstance raises further questions that should be answered with facts. Was the appointment based on professional abilities and work results, and how was the candidate’s performance at the university assessed?
The public has the right to expect clear answers from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports. By what criteria was Mkrtchyan selected? What results did she achieve as acting rector? Were the risks associated with the university’s management crisis assessed, and what documents substantiate the appointment?
If the decision was made on the basis of professional merit, the ministry can present the factual grounds for it. But if such criteria are not made public, the question remains: how is society supposed to be convinced that personal connections do not take precedence over professional assessment when state positions are allocated?