Tskhinvali University Administration Threatens Students

“Revolutionary” students of the Tskhinvali University are being “kicked out” from the University. It is third-year-students’ estimation about the situation at the university. According to the board of the university, those people who finished third year will have to study during the whole summer in order to finish the fourth year at extreme speed before September.

These are those students who entered the University in 2004 without exams. At that time, the administration decided to accept all applicants. In doing so they wanted to remove the spot of corruption on the University which was widely discussed in the district and people blamed the administration for it. Lecturers wanted to prove to the society that money was not priority to enter the university at all.

Now, the IDP University has faced problems for that charity.  We should take 2100 students in consideration, and 700 students of them are on the third year. Great amount of students created problems for accreditation of the university. One student can enjoy only
1, 5 sq. meters while for future accreditation the student should have 4 sq. meters.  The university must obtain accreditation in September 2007; though once they already obtained it in 2006. The Ministry of Education decided that those institutions who obtained accreditation in 2006 must undergo more severe process of testing again.

Irma Akhalkatsi, a student of the journalist faculty at the University is a resident of the village of Agara in Kareli District. She said that they cannot put up with the decision of the administration and does not want to take the fourth year in summer.

“It would be better if we took the fourth year properly. They want to teach us the one-year-program within three months?” said Akhalkatsi.

Student Nestan Lomsadze is coming to the classes from Khashuri. She will have to attend the lectures during the summer. “We are going to lose one year of our studentship. The main point is that we have to pay 100 USD for the tuition. They did not ask our opinions either,” said Nestani. 

Iago Natsvlishvili, a student from the village of Variani in Gori District, speaks about the university administration’s attitude towards the students. He said that the board and interim Rector of the University, Zaza Tsotniashvili threaten the students to increase their tuition fee and to make exams stricter unless we agree to study in summer.”

“They informed us about the situation when they had already decided everything. They ordered us to obey their decisions otherwise they would increase our fees. Those who do not pay for tuition, would have to pay 1 100 lari and those who used to pay for studies, would have to pay increased 1 500 lari.  In addition to that, they threatened to make exams stricter and torture us,” said Natsvlishvili.

Nugzar Abramishvili, dean for the faculty of Social Sciences, Law and Business, appreciates the idea. He said that it was students’ opinion and Levan Midodashvili, the head of the University Administration, agrees with him.

Nugzar Abramishvili: “It was the idea of students at the correspondence courses. They suggested us to hold sessions and exams in summer. Then we discussed the idea and offered it to the students of the third year. They appreciated the suggestion. It is better for them because if they manage to finish the course before September of 2007 they will receive a diploma of accredited university.”

Levan Midodashvili, the head of the Tskhinvali University administration, does not agree with students. He claims that nobody has threatened the young people with increased payment, severe exams and non-accredited diplomas.

“Now we only discuss problem of lecturers’ salaries. We have not settled it yet. As for classes in summer, we have already decided it and the Ministry of Education have appreciated the initiative,” said the head of the administration.

Lecturers do not want to comment on the situation; however in private conversations they wondered about salaries. They do not know whether they receive their summer salaries as well as the salaries for autumn, winter and spring. We are discussing the topic now.”

Roma Mamuchashvili, leader of the Students’ Self-Government, who also finished the third year, said that he had not heard any threats from the rector.

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori