“I Do Not Know Why the Minister Needs To Tell So Many Lies?”

Professor Blames Minister of Education for Telling Lies

High educational institution is about to be established on the basis of Zugdidi branch of the Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili State University (TSU). Aleksandre Lomaia, Minister of Education and Gia Khubua, Rector of the State University, informed the employees of the Zugdidi Branch of the University about the decision when they arrived in Zugdidi.

Zugdidi Branch of the TSU was abolished under the decision made in December 2006 on the basis of the amendments introduced to the Georgian Law on Education.

Aleksandre Lomaia stated that independent legal entity and high educational institution will be established in Zugdidi. “The TSU is carrying out reorganization of its branches, as a result of which several of them were closed down such as Ozurgeti and Foti branches. New Educational Institutions will implement complete four-year-Bachelor-program that will be corresponding to the State University’s program. Simultaneous to the program the institution will be able to implement High Vocational Programs. Students will involve the program in September, as for Bachelor’s program, the students will be selected through United National Exams,” said the Minister.

The decision on establishment high educational institution on the basis of the University Branch caused various reactions. Kakha Todua, the head of the Administration in the University Branch, thinks that the decision is optimal and real: “While making the decision they took the data base and human resources of the University Branch into consideration. It is our reality and we can have claims according to our abilities,” said Todua.

Since the University branch was abolished students and lecturers held permanent demonstrations and press-conferences where they demanded the Minister of Education and the President to support them. The demonstrators demanded to establish two-stage (Bachelor and Master) State Public Institute in Zugdidi.   “On July 2 we learned that under the Minister’s resolution two-stage state institute was to be opened in Zugdidi and we were glad. The information was spread by the Ministry of Education. Today they have made different statements. We were cheated and they did not keep their promises,” said Nino Grigolia, associated professor.

Just-established high educational institution was granted with former building of Public School # 5 that was repaired in March and the Minister said that it would be ready by the beginning of the next school year. Under the government’s resolution, the new institution was granted with the buildings of Senaki Agriculture-Economic College and Zugdidi Vocational Lyceum.

Nana Sajaia, Zugdidi