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Public School Principal Abolished Religion Lessons in Gurjaani

September 19, 2008

We received information from Gurjaani village Public School that Marina Utiashvili, Gurjaani Public School principal decided to abolished religion lessons at school in spite of protests from  pupils’ and parents’ alike.

The principal states that the school lacks funding and is unable to afford  hiring a religion teacher. Davit Dugladze, Gurjaani Public School religion teacher states that the pupils only in 3rd, 4th and 7th grades study religion and he receives a mere 20 GEL salary per month for this work. Dugladze states that the principal’s decision has nothing to do with the school’s financial problems. He says that the school prinicipal motives is associated with teachers who have different opinions. “Several teachers have been dismissed from school for having different opinions than his. I supported them and as a result, she (school principal) abolished religion lessons as a consequence,” states Dugladze.

The Gurjaani Public School teachers proceeded to lodged an appeal to the Ministry of Education and Science. However, no one has expressed interest in the problem thus far.

It is noteworthy that the Human Rights Center is studying the case of teachers’ dismissal from Gurjaani Public School and this is not an isolated case. 

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

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