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XVI Congress of Teachers of Azerbaijan dedicated to the 100th anniversary of national leader Heydar Aliyev is being held at Baku Congress Centre on December 15, Azernews reports.

Before the Congress, delegates visited the Alley of Honourable Burial, where they respectfully honoured the memory of national leader Heydar Aliyev and outstanding ophthalmologist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva, laid wreaths and bouquets of flowers at their graves.

Then, a visit was made to Martyrs monument, where the memory of the sons of the Motherland who died for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan was honoured with respect, flowers were laid at their graves.

More than 1600 delegates representing general education, secondary specialised, professional, higher education and scientific institutions of the country take part in the work of the congress.

At the beginning of the congress, the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was played by the children's choir of the Art Gymnasium of the Azerbaijan National Conservatory. Then, at the event, a minute of silence was observed to honour the memory of the heroes who became martyrs in the name of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, as well as education workers who passed away since the end of the previous congress.

Then a video clip "Heydar Aliyev - founder of national education strategy", as well as a video clip on martyrs teachers who died in the 44-day Patriotic War were shown.

Congratulatory message of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the participants of the Congress was read out by Farah Aliyeva, Head of the Department for Humanitarian Policy, Diaspora, Multiculturalism and Religion of the Presidential Administration.

Azerbaijan's Minister of Science and Education Emin Amrullayev delivered a report at the event. The Minister talked of reforms and projects implemented in the education sector in recent years. Referring to the successful policy of national leader Heydar Aliyev, the founder of Azerbaijan's education development strategy, the Minister emphasised President Ilham Aliyev's attention and care to the education sector.

In his speech, the Minister talked of the educational infrastructure, educational institutions that have started functioning in the territories liberated from occupation, as well as other planned projects within the framework of the Great Return Programme.

Emin Amrullayev spoke about the organisation of the educational process during the pandemic, increasing the comprehensiveness of pre-school education, introduction of competence content in general education, creation of STEAM classes and centres, as well as successes of Azerbaijani schoolchildren in international subject Olympiads. Citing examples from the experience of developed countries, the Minister emphasised that new approaches to the calculation of teachers' salaries are currently used and presented the dynamics of growth of monthly salaries.

Speaking about the role of educational student loans in ensuring students' access to higher education, Emin Amrullayev stressed that 20 thousand people used educational loans in 2022-2023 academic year, 26 thousand people in 2023-2024 academic year.

Reminding that the XVI Congress of Teachers of Azerbaijan coincided with the "Year of Heydar Aliyev", Chairman of the Science and Education Committee of Milli Majlis Bakhtiyar Aliyev said the event was significant in this context. Assessing the event as a triumphal congress of teachers of Azerbaijan, Bakhtiyar Aliyev also emphasised the importance of system reforms in the field of education. The Committee Chairman added that the expenditures allocated to the education sector have increased over the past 20 years, and noted that the legislative base in the education sector has been strengthened.

Addressing the congress, President of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan academician Isa Habibbeyli emphasised that the most significant event of the last five years was the full restoration of Azerbaijan's sovereignty. Recalling that teachers working in the territories liberated from occupation also take part in the congress, Isa Habibbayli emphasised that this is the main difference between this congress and previous ones.

The academician noted that raising a generation with new knowledge and skills is the greatest achievement of independent Azerbaijani science.

Speaking afterwards, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the State Examination Centre Maleyka Abbaszadeh drew attention to the statistics of examinations held in 2023. She said the result of all reforms implemented in the education system depends on the knowledge and skills, competence and personality of teachers.

Maleika Abbaszadeh emphasised the importance of improving teaching methods and studying international best practices.

Rector of ADA University Hafiz Pashayev noted in his speech that in the rapidly changing world, educational programmes should be constantly updated and new interactive methods should be more widely used in education. According to Hafiz Pashayev, young people should be provided with many options of educational direction and institution. "The truth is that most of the responsibility for learning lies with the students and the teacher can help them realise this responsibility," he said.

Speaking at the congress, director of Mirza Ulugbey secondary school No.1 named after Mirza Ulugbey in Fuzuli city Hajar Mahmudova, history teacher of Barda secondary school No.7, participant of the Patriotic War Jeyhun Asadov spoke about the state's care for education and teachers, noted the steps taken to raise the authority of teachers in the country and the level of their professionalism, stressed that the introduction of teacher certification and differentiated remuneration system increases healthy competition and motivation among teachers, said Azerbaijani teachers are always honoured by the state.

After the plenary session, the congress continued with panel sessions on topics such as "National leader Heydar Aliyev and education in Azerbaijan", "Great Return to the territories liberated from occupation", "Azerbaijani language in the context of new challenges", "Digitalisation, artificial intelligence and transformation of education", "Modern approaches to the content of general education", "Modern approaches to the management of general education", "Professional education and skills for the future", "Teacher training and priority issues", "Teacher training and priority issues", "Education for the future", "Education for the future" and "Education for the future".

The Congress will conclude its work on 16 December.

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