Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi
The ministry of education closed down the Vocational College # 2 in Kutaisi. As a result of the liquidation, about 40 people remained unemployed. The former employees state that the college was illegally closed down without any procedures. 14 vocational colleges were closed down throughout Georgia based on the resolution of the minister.
“The ministry of education committed vandal act. They threw us out into the street without warning. Everything was done against the law. The resolution # 700 of the education minister (before reaching us) was to be sent to the ministry of justice first; explanation letter about the liquidation was to be enclosed to the resolution and only after these procedures they had to start the liquidation process. They did not consider these procedures necessary and threw us out into the street based on the verbal declaration about the abolishment,” said the deputy director of the vocational college # 2 Nugzar Kashia.
The liquidation of the Kutaisi polytechnic college, which was predecessor of the vocational college, lasted three years. Last year it was finally reorganized and transformed into the vocational college # 2.
The multi-profile college, which trained secretary-referents, furniture designers, landscape designers and other specialists, had to start its school year on September 15. However, based on the resolution # 700 of the minister of education, the administration of the Kutaisi resource center was ordered to set up a liquidation commission. The personnel of the college were informed about the liquidation on September 15.
“When they are closing down a multi-profile college and leave so many people unemployed, they should at least inform us in advance about it. Nobody has told us about their plans. When the new school-term started, we came to the office and found similar situation there. We were on holidays in summer and if they had warned us in advance, we could find alternative job. The resource center had to inform us. What shall we do now? They do not tell us anything and nobody offers us alternative jobs either,” said the teacher of the vocational college Maguli Guruli.
Representatives of the Kutaisi resource-center state that everything was done in compliance with the law. The liquidation was carried out based on the minister’s resolution.
“This process is part of the ongoing reform. Public colleges are being created where children will study the trades which are in demand on the labor market in Georgia. Besides that, the vocational centers are being opened at the universities where they will learn the most-requested professions,” said the head of the Kutaisi resource center Lado Pataridze.
The employees of the liquidated college state that the education ministry breached their rights and concrete people should be punished for it.
“In accordance to the Labor Law of Georgia, termination of the labor contract should be carried out by the administration. More precisely, the employee shall be noted about the liquidation in written notice at least one month in advance (Article 42) and the Employee shall be given one month pay unless otherwise envisaged by the Contract. Besides that, the employee will receive average salary for the next 2 months unless s/he find alternative job. It did not happen in this particular case. The government threw the employees of the college out into the street,” said the head of the Kutaisi office of the Republic Party Nato Katamadze.
Katamadze clarified that the ministry of education and science, as well as the Kutaisi resource center breached the labor code (and the Constitution of Georgia) and the victim side has already appealed to the Kutaisi City Court.
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