Poverty in Armenia.

[levon]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

- There is a serious lack of investment and interest in education. Without this, we can't expect to have an economy of inventors and producers, which is what every strong country is founded upon. Unless the Armenian people and nation develop a serious interest and thirst for education, nothing will ever change for the better and things will only get worse.

Are you speaking from experience or just assuming that Armenians in Armenia don't care about education, because you're dead wrong.

Apart from the fact that Armenia has a much higher level of literacy than many "Developed countries" (such as the US), the education level in an average school in Yerevan (looking at grades 6 and up) is on par with the best public high schools in the US, especially when it comes to mathematics. But, I admit that teacher's aren't payed as much as they should be.

[Armanen]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

Are you speaking from experience or just assuming that Armenians in Armenia don't care about education, because you're dead wrong.

Apart from the fact that Armenia has a much higher level of literacy than many "Developed countries" (such as the US), the education level in an average school in Yerevan (looking at grades 6 and up) is on par with the best public high schools in the US, especially when it comes to mathematics. But, I admit that teacher's aren't payed as much as they should be.

Many of the public schools of major u.s. cities are aweful. The issues I see with the currant state of Armenian primary education is the lack of funding for supplies and as you said the teachers are underpayed. Also, investment in building new schools is a problem too. There has been progress but more should be done in that direction.

[levon]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

You're right, public schools in major cities in the US are awful; however, these schools can barely be qualified as best schools. While lack of supplies is a problem, the US has proved that a country can spend extreme amounts of money on education with no success, on the other hand, in Armenia the education level is respectable despite lack of investment.

[levon]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

What we need in Armenia is support to open more schools such as "Phys-Math school" and Ananya Shirakaci in Yerevan, and the Phys-Math school in Artsakh.

[JohnCanadian]

Re: Australia's European Living Standards

Okay before you even start, Australia is a nation that wants its sovereignty intact and what you talk of will never happen. I have friends that are Australian and I have lived in Australia myself and what you say is insulting. Australia is a free country and doesn't need the EU to take it over.

This whole discussion of yours in this topic (and even on this whole forum) is not on Armenia, and instead seems to just focus on how Canada is doing, how great Canada is, and talk about how great the EU is, and complement allies of the USA, while at the same time you insult Armenia and other countries that aren't doing that well economically.

Why are you even still here? I give up...it seems to be you are just here to cause trouble and insult people for not being born in Canada.

I could very well ask the same thing as you. What is a New Zealander doing on an Armenian forum?

I have not insulted Armenia at all, I have been pointing out its weakness that is the truth of the matter. I have no intention to insult any country.

I can say that New Zealand is performing poorly as well. But nothing to the extent of the former Soviet Republics. I have some friends from the US and some from Australia who consider New Zealand to be very backwards. So do not accuse me about me criticizing other countries that I have not been doing anyway.

I have no intention to cause trouble. I am saying that countries like Armenia and other extremely poor countries need to start performing to a higher level if these countries want to deliver the promises to its citizens that they have been denied for so so long.

I also stated that Australia with its very high standard of living and very efficient Government and Institutions could teach a lot to the struggling countries of the world about improving living standards and implementing laws and strategies that will enhance the nation into a more acceptable standard of living.

With Canada's Per Capita, Australia's and Slovenia's Per Capita New Zealand has very poor living standards. Even some of the CE EU States are going to overtake New Zealand's low level of wealth very soon. Poland - EU State has a GDP that is more then 3x higher then New Zealand can ever achieve. So yes I praise many Countries that deserve it and work hard to earn my praise and many people for that matter. I do not consider New Zealand to be a rich country it ranks low on OECD rankings almost constantly. Slovenia even though its not an OECD Member - it will be soon I hope outranks New Zealand in a wide range of indicators. Czech Republic is another country that outstrips New Zealand's performance by a considerable margin.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

Hey John Q. Public....

I suggest you read up on how General Motors just screwed Canada and the EU with the Magna/Opel fiasco. Canada would be better off breaking ties with the EU and the US, they are dragging down the wealth of Canadians. And for sakes... it's time to drop that anchor of a monarchy or so called "royal family".

[hipeter924]

Re: Australia's European Living Standards

I could very well ask the same thing as you. What is a New Zealander doing on an Armenian forum?

I have not insulted Armenia at all, I have been pointing out its weakness that is the truth of the matter. I have no intention to insult any country.

I can say that New Zealand is performing poorly as well. But nothing to the extent of the former Soviet Republics. I have some friends from the US and some from Australia who consider New Zealand to be very backwards. So do not accuse me about me criticizing other countries that I have not been doing anyway.

I have no intention to cause trouble. I am saying that countries like Armenia and other extremely poor countries need to start performing to a higher level if these countries want to deliver the promises to its citizens that they have been denied for so so long.

I also stated that Australia with its very high standard of living and very efficient Government and Institutions could teach a lot to the struggling countries of the world about improving living standards and implementing laws and strategies that will enhance the nation into a more acceptable standard of living.

With Canada's Per Capita, Australia's and Slovenia's Per Capita New Zealand has very poor living standards. Even some of the CE EU States are going to overtake New Zealand's low level of wealth very soon. Poland - EU State has a GDP that is more then 3x higher then New Zealand can ever achieve. So yes I praise many Countries that deserve it and work hard to earn my praise and many people for that matter. I do not consider New Zealand to be a rich country it ranks low on OECD rankings almost constantly. Slovenia even though its not an OECD Member - it will be soon I hope outranks New Zealand in a wide range of indicators. Czech Republic is another country that outstrips New Zealand's performance by a considerable margin.

I would be careful there, some of Australia's corporations are run by you guessed it NZ'ers, and one of the Russian billionaire oligarchs is a NZ'er too, then again there are tons of NZ billionaires living overseas. So while it is true on a whole country basis NZ is not the best, whether it be the World Bank, UN or whatever NZ'ers are always there. NZ does well in educating its people, but not so well in keeping them aka 2 million NZ'ers or something live overseas.

As for this GDP per capita NZ was at 30,000+ before the recession. Which is well above Poland, so you re talking out of your arse. Give me the actual numbers not predictions and fantasy.

As for NZ's economic future, it is much tied to Australia's economic future and I assure you that if we ever were in dire economic straits we could by terms of Australia's constitution enter the Australian commonwealth.

Also you turn a blind eye to corruption, because NZ is ranked the least corrupt country in the world alongside a few EU states.

Also I think you value human rights below economics, dangerous as far as I am concerned. Because your entire discussion seems to be based on upon the premise a is richer than b therefore a is a better country.

Final note: I did a search on Google.

Typed: "NZ Forward Thinking" it got Results 1 - 10 of about 6,260,000 for New Zealand Forward Thinking. (0.36 seconds)
Typed: New Zealand Forward thinking" it got Results 1 - 10 of about 6,260,000 for New Zealand Forward Thinking. (0.11 seconds)
Typed: "NZ Backward Thinking" it got Results 1 - 10 of about 61,400 for New Zealand Backward Thinking. (0.33 seconds)
Typed: "New Zealand Backwards" it got Results 1 - 10 of about 2,260,000 for New Zealand Backwards. (0.21 seconds)

So you can try variations on this but as a whole most people think NZ is forward thinking.

[Armanen]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

He also doesn't take into account other factors such as 'national happiness'. One would think that the richest country or countries would be the happiest but that is not the case. The U.S. is not the happiest country in the world, now why do you suppose that is?

[hipeter924]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

He also doesn't take into account other factors such as 'national happiness'. One would think that the richest country or countries would be the happiest but that is not the case. The U.S. is not the happiest country in the world, now why do you suppose that is?

I have the OECD 2009 Factbook own my ipod, so that is why I can quote figures knowing I am not talking out of my arse. Latest numbers Canada is $38,500, NZ is $27,431 which is quite close to Greece which stands at $28,432. Poland is at $15,989, Slovenia is at $26,746 which is just behind NZ, and Czech Republic at $24,027.

I will help you with happyness:

Positive experience index ranks 1st Canada 2nd Mexico 3rd United States 4th New Zealand 5th Denmark

As for actual poverty rates:

1st Mexico
2nd US
3rd Poland
4th Turkey
5th Japan
6th Canada
7th Korea
8th Ireland
9th Spain
10th New Zealand

So while GDP may be high, the level of poverty is not correlated necessarily between GDP per capita and actual amount/rate of poverty.

[Armanen]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

How is the u.s. number one in poverty? Is that percentage or by population per country living in poverty?