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Welded door

October 3, 2014
 
Giorgi Janelidze, humanrightshouse.org 

Archangel Michael Medical-Pedagogical School-Kindergarten in Borjomi street, Tbilisi was founded in 1994. According to the website of the education institution, it aims to create good environment for the education, grow up and development of children, adults and youth with physical and intellectual disabilities for their further integration into society.

Parents of four-year-old Anastasia say their little, beautiful girl is very stubborn: as soon as she bites her little pinkie, she transfers into her own world. Regardless many attempts of the parents and relatives, doctors neither in Georgia nor Europe could correctly diagnose her. Supposedly the child has autism but contradictory signs in her behavior hinder doctors to finally diagnose autism. It is fact that Anastasia cannot or does not walk; she cannot or does not speak. “The little fairy girl” is beneficiary of the Medical-Pedagogical School-Kindergarten. Mother takes her to the kindergarten at 11:00 am and waits there till 17:00 pm in case the child needs something.

There is an iron backdoor behind the play-ground of the facility but two years ago local inhabitants welded it up. Now it is virtual door and cannot be used by beneficiaries; especially it cannot be used as main entrance to the school.

Anastasia’s father Mukhran Skhvediani returned to Georgia after long-term life abroad. As soon as he learned about welding the door, he publicly expressed concerns about it. “In 2004 they replaced old backdoor with iron one, which is also spare door – during emergency situation the administration shall use it for the evacuation of children. However, the door was welded from outside. The population passed verdict, which I cannot agree with because people are not judges.”

The school functions based on the license issued by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. As a follow up of the incident about the door, Minister Tamar Sanikidze made an interesting statement. “For different reasons, the Ministry cannot interfere in this case because it is not dispute about education problems. Nevertheless, we [the Ministry] have discussion the issue. We recommend [the school administration] to make optimal decision which will be best option for children,” magazine Liberali cited Minister Sanikidze. Minister’s statement that “the ministry cannot directly interfere” caused discontent of the big part of society.

The backdoor was good option for shorter and easier entrance to the school. Parents used to drive up to the school building from the backdoor but did not park cars for a long time- just enough time to take the child with disabilities out of the car and place her/him in the wheelchair. So they needed just few minutes and if we realize that it was happening in the country, which boasts with its tolerant population and where human and moral factors are highly valued, beneficiaries of educational institution should not have bothered anybody with their movement problems or other disabilities.

PR department at the Ministry of Education agreed with Human Rights House Tbilisi that there are some barriers created for them in similar situations. “There is an unit working on the development of inclusive education in the Ministry of Education and Science, which aims to elaborate and develop inclusive education policy and strategy to promote integration of inclusive education in general educational system. In this process, the Ministry often encounters barriers from the side of society, parents, school administration and teachers.”

“Some people complained about parking, others about psychological stress caused by the sight of disabled children in their area. We heard some people even left threatening posts under the information we shared in social networks. I want to investigate everything and then appeal to the court,” Anastasia’s father said. 

Parents of the beneficiaries, as well as the school administration, timely expressed concern about welding of the backdoor but finally they gave up opposing neighbors.

“I did not live in Georgia. I arrived here and took my daughter to the kindergarten on September 15. I saw the door in similar conditions on that day. So I immediately started struggle. Before that, we had another incident, when the front entrance door was blocked because of some works there and administration managed to open it with the support of the patrol police. Meanwhile we had to use the backdoor and it was unwelded for a short time. As soon as the problem of the front door was resolved, we renewed using it and backdoor was back welded. The administration could not continue struggle. I do not know whom they applied to but could not receive any feedback and response. We like the school. It is very difficult to find good school in Georgia for children with disabilities,” Mukhran Sevdiani said.

“There are several significant factors for the successful implementation of inclusive education programs in schools. Among them is creation accessible environment for pupils. The astonishing fact, that occurred in the school located in Borjomi street, is one of those unfortunate examples, which demonstrate public attitude towards the pupils with special educational needs,” the Ministry of Education and Science comments.

The school-kindergarten was built with financial support of the German Embassy. In the additional facility the beneficiaries study different subjects or handiworks under supervision of tutors. Big part of parents spends the day there. Although the welded door created problems for their children, they refrain from speaking about it loudly. 

Anastasia’s parents took responsibility to fight for everybody’s rights in the school. School administration refused to make comment with the studio team of the Human Rights House Tbilisi. Other parents also kept silence. Neighbor, whose balcony is the nearest to the school fence, did not open the door. Supposedly they were initiators of welding the backdoor. Neighbors claim the cars and movement of disabled people bothered mostly them.

 A lady, who preferred to stay anonymous, stated that she had neutral position in the dispute. “I did not support idea of welding the door. According to the school regulations it was backdoor and the administration had to use it during emergency situation. Nobody had right to weld it up. However, the school administration members often parked cars there and it supposedly created problems. As I know, the neighbors living in front of the school were bothered with it and complained about seeing sick children to gather in their yard. Of course I do not agree with them. When a child has health problems, everybody must share the problem and should not fix similar prohibitions,” a housewife said and returned to her boiler.

When studying the facts of children’s rights violation the Unit for the Development of Inclusive Education at the Ministry of Education and Science systematically meets administrations and parents of different schools in order to combat any forms of discrimination and human rights violations of the children with disabilities or special needs. According to the Ministry, after the incident in Free Pedagogic Center the Ministry representatives contacted the school administration and parents and expressed readiness to act as mediator between the school and society.

Kind and sincere beneficiaries of the school walk around the facility either separately or hand in hand with their friends every half hour. They are very sociable and curious. Some of them re shy and prefer to stay in the shadow of his/her friend; while others behave in the opposite way and struggles for their position in the society.  

Georgia has taken significant obligation to reform the education system so that to make the effective education available for every pupil. The Ministry of Education and Science believes it will be better if public awareness is raised and measures are not taken to address the problems only after concrete incidents and society and media will start active talks about equality of children regardless their disability status or special needs - have equal right to education and become plenipotentiary member of the society. It will promote introduction of the inclusive education system. 

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