“Teacher with Breached Rights Cannot Build Future”

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi

Independent Trade Union of Teachers is preparing for overall strikes. The demonstration was to start on February 26, but based on the decision of the strike committee, it was postponed until May.

Trade Union of Teachers speaks about restriction of the rights of teachers and plenty other problems. The aim of the mass strikes is to eradicate problems in the educational system.

“The Ministry of Education and Science oppresses teachers; the ministry compels them to join their organization “Sindikati”; the members of the Trade Union are mostly oppressed. All sources are used to leave the Trade Union and join the Sindikati. The Liberty Institute opposes us not to say anything about the ministry of education. We have quite critical opinions about several issues and consequently, we encounter many obstacles,” said the lawyer of the Kutaisi office of the Independent Trade Union of Teachers Khatuna Arveladze.

The certificate exams are the problem which is still main topic of the disagreement. Consequently, it is one of those problems which are criticized by the Trade Union of Teachers.

Teachers say they were promised by the ministry of education that detailed information as well as all necessary materials about the tests will be sent to them before exams. However, it did not happen. Teachers think, the time left before the exam is not enough. Teachers have neither literature nor preliminary tests.

“Despite our resistance the ministry of education does not retreat and is preparing for the certificate exams very seriously. It means, they do not care about our opinion. However, they claim they are living in a democratic state and they build future. Everybody shall be aware that a teacher with the breached rights shall not be able to build future,” said teacher Lali Kurashvili.

Although many trainings were organized which aimed pre-certificate preparation, teachers still complain.

Teachers say those people, who organize the trainings, are not aware in many problems of the field.

“Somebody might think that we oppose the tests because we are afraid. It is not right. Simply, we want clarification of several issues. Let them give us materials and time and we will not retreat. Otherwise, we will not succeed. We are interested in many issues; we are asking trainers but they are also in awkward situation because they do not have information either,” said the teachers from Kutaisi.

“Many things shall be clarified – what is the passing grade; why teachers are not allowed to file complaints about results, etc. we want to clarify these issues. Teachers are interested in everything related with these exams,” said lawyer Khatuna Arveladze.