Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi
Last week in Kutaisi, the National Center of Examinations organized a dress-rehearsal of certificate exams for teachers. Teachers stated they had tested themselves at the rehearsal. However, they added they are not going to take the certificate exams scheduled in July; their decision is final and has one reason.
Nana Makharadze, teacher: “I will not take exam because I am not ready for it. But it does not mean that I was lazy and did not prepare for it. We, teachers did not have working period at all. Nobody had trained us for exams. The trainings they organized were mostly for groups and nobody trained us in the topics from tests. However, the Ministry of Education does not care about it and about our opinions; their aim is to carry out reform…”
The teachers were promised by the Ministry of Education that they would receive detailed information about exam topics before exams (those topics are urgently necessary for the ongoing reform).
Most part of teachers could not get 160-GEL voucher which they had to use for the participation in trainings.
Tamar Giorgadze, teacher: “They said the exams will be held and that was all. Then they added we would receive vouchers. Similar test exams require serious work and they seem to forget it. Teachers, who are not going to take exams at all, received vouchers. We have encountered with similar injustice quite often… Thus, neither I nor many of my colleagues will take exams. And it will not be strange.”
Ministry of Education states that certificate exams will evaluate professional skills and knowledge of teachers. The certification is voluntary process (of course at this stage only) and if a teacher receives the certificate, s/he will have license to work as teacher for 8 years.
Manana Kvernadze, teacher: “Many teachers will lose diplomas because of these exams. We were compelled to participate in these exams. I do not think the teachers are flock which is easily pastured by the government. Although, we are told the exams are voluntary and we are not obliged to take them, nobody knows what they will decide tomorrow. I have written my opinion about exams in the questionnaire too; but I doubt somebody will consider it.”
Fewer teachers took dress-rehearsal of the certificate exams than the Ministry of Education expected. However, the representatives of the ministry justified the fact by vigilance of teachers about innovations.
The Human Rights Center asked many teachers whether they are going to take certificate exams in 2010 and most of them refused. However, the Ministry of Education and Science requires every teacher to take the exam within three years if they want to work at public school in future.
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