Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

What promises were given to the teachers in Gali and Zugdidi districts?

Gia Nodia, the Minister of Education and Science handed out vouchers on health insurance personally to 688 teachers in Gali. He also distributed plentiful promises on behalf of his ministry to teachers in Zugdidi and Gali districts.  

Shida Kartli local government started to break the pre-election promises of the Georgian president long ago. For example, transportation fee was increased. Although acting regional governor Lado Vardzelashvili claims that he is aware about the problems of the region, he has poor information about the transportation problems village residents have in Shida Kartli.

Levan Bezhashvili was recently appointed as the Georgian President’s Representative to Kakheti region. Previous to this assignment he was the chairperson of the Parliamentary Legal Committee. The new governor intends to cooperate with local journalists and NGO workers. The first meeting with the representatives of civil society was organized last week.

The institute of the tutorial board, which was established as a result of educational reform, is another current but separate topic for discussion. Experts concluded that these boards failed to achieve their started goals. They have been totally ineffective. First of all, the articles providing for tutorial Boards were inserted in the law without complete consideration. And other than a two-year preparation period for implementation that was mentioned into the law, and was not done accordingly and the decision was immediately made to elections. Consequently, the members of the tutorial board were not sufficiently trained to do their jobs.

In 2004, in line with the positive changes in the country, we pointed out the human rights violations which took place after the “Rose Revolution”. Most of the people did not dare speak of them. We dared to tell the truth. “One Step Forward – Two Steps Back” was the name of the human rights report the Human Rights Centre published in December, 2004. As antidemocratic tendencies developed further, our reaction was immediate. The report produced in 2005 was called “Next Stop – Belarus?” 

Journalistic Survey
What should teachers think about-their contract terms or children’s education? 

Directors and teachers of Georgian Public Schools have sign employment contracts. The stipulated terms of the contracts vary in among schools from 1 to 6 years in duration. However, what would otherwise seem mundane has experts concerned. They claim that those contracts under such stipulated terms are in contradiction with the Georgian Constitution and international law. It is not that the Georgian Ministry of Education and Science that made the requirement to indicate the duration when contracts are signed.