Dilijan Central School is a school of the “Ayb” system.

The profile of a student of Dilijan Central School is based on the following eight interrelated principles:

Why exactly eight principles? According to the Church Fathers, “eight” is the number of Christ, or the number of the Resurrection. If “seven” symbolizes the Pentateuch and the earthly perfections, “eight” is the symbol of the new life and the new time brought by Christ. “Eight” is the resurrected “seven”; therefore, Sunday, as the day of the resurrection, is also called the Lord’s Day or the First Day and, at the same time, the Eighth Day, as a new transcendental reality of the seven-day time period.

The conceit of “Eight” is peculiar to “Ayb”. We strive to discover new dimensions of learning, to form a new educational culture, giving new life and meaning to the noble idea of education in line with the times. It so happened that the founders of “Ayb” were eight people, not by chance. The number eight is reflected in the logo of “Ayb”. It is a sign of spinning eternity, and there are eight peaks on each whorl; it is a chain of eights spinning into eternity or the idea of the eight disclosed into eternity.

The eight principles characterizing a student of “Ayb” are divided into pairs. The first pair, cognizant and creator, is a universal principle. It virtually coincides with the motto of our school, “Know and Create”, and, as a main principle, extends to the other three pairs.

The student of “Ayb” should not just strive to know, but also strive for good and auspicious cognition, or benevolence. Contemplating and discovering the good are the vectors of effective cognition. Kindness of thought should be reflected in our actions as well; the student of “Ayb” should be caring. Caring people are those who have love in them, try to do good for people, are responsible, and do not ignore the facts. Benevolence and care are the moral complements to our main principle, and they emphasize what kind of cognition and actions we are talking about.

Not only the human mind should be educated and equipped with virtues, but the will should act correctly as well. We want our students to be proactive. Proactive means courageous, brave, purposeful, and willing to take risks. But there should be a balance in every endeavor, maintaining inner peace and harmony. To take the initiative does not mean to rush forward recklessly, but to think and contemplate responsibly, to gather people around your idea and make them participate in it, and to serve and lead people.

The last pair of the eight virtues of “Ayb” is vigilant and open. The choice of these words is also not random: the word “vigilant” has a deep meaning both in Modern Armenian and in Grabar (Classical Armenian). Vigilant is gentle and sensitive in its good sense; it is the one who feels people, feels himself/herself, and has an inner focus. A vigilant person is an organized person. Today, human life is too scattered in memories, feelings, and emotions, and the major task of modern education is to teach a person to be organized, attentive, and focused. Vigilant is also the opposite of callous, when a person is out of touch with reality and accepted moral principles. And finally, they should be open in order not to be led to internal bonds and restraints by the state of being organized. This is also one of the main objectives of education: to teach a person to be free and open, to get rid of internal bonds, to be in touch with reality.