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Teachers of Retirement Age Left to the Streets

September 18, 2008

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

The Georgian Ministry of Education and Science recommended that directors of public schools, “It is preferable to dismiss teachers of the retirement age.” This hard core announcement was posted on the web-site of the ministry several days ago. School Directors have already warned older teachers about their pending dismissal.

“Can a teacher of retirement age still continue his/her activities at the public schools?” One respondent asked this question to the ministry of education through their web-site. The ministry replied: “It is preferable if the teacher of the retirement age retire. However, it noted that the director of that particular school has the authorization to make such decisions on their own.”

After the announcement was posted on the website, reportedly, the directors of the public schools started to warn older teachers that they may be dismissed.

“The school board has been most eager to dismiss teachers that are nearing retirement age. Various remarks have been made in this direction at different times. It has been pointed out that older teachers cannot deliver proper lessons as what young teachers can provide, which is not in keeping with the aims of educational reform that has been implemented in recent years. The director wanted to fire me before the new school year even started. However, I resisted him and declared that if he canceled the labor contract because of my age I would appeal against him for age discrimination. On Tuesday, older teachers were handed the announcement provided by the ministry of education and the verbally warned that we will be dismissed from our occupation in a matter of several days. They told us that young, energetic teachers have applied for employment,” said Mariam Zuriashvili, a teacher working in one of the public schools in Kvareli.

Why does the ministry of education prefer to dismiss old teachers from school? We tried to find out the situation from the ministry of education. “There is some misunderstanding. The service department that is responsible for updating our website was already ordered to remove that announcement,” said Keti Chkhobadze, an interim spokesperson of the Georgian Ministry of Education. She suggested that our questions be directed to Tamar Ebralidze, the head of legal department at the ministry in order to obtain a full explanation to our question. “It is not my reply. I cannot say which employee of our ministry has made such a statement,” stated Ebralidze.

Manana Ghurchumelidze, the head of the Independent Trade Union of Teachers, protested the recommendation that was published on the website of the ministry of education.

She explained that older and experienced teachers are discriminated against in Georgia. In addition, “The Georgian Labor Code and international legislation strictly prohibits the dismissal of teachers from schools because of their older age. However, the ministry of education has released such recommendations to the directors of public schools. In parallel, the ministry claims that any such decisions must not be taken under their supervision and directors are authorized to act independently of the ministry. Since, according to the Labor Code the rights of the employee are not protected whatsoever and an employer is authorized to cancel the agreement without having to give just reason, such an announcement on the website has created a serious problem for older teachers. The philosophy of the Labor Code in democratic countries is to protect the employee from employers. However, the situation is much different in Georgia and that is where the problem is found. A teacher works on the level of a slave within the Georgian system,” told Manana Ghurchumelidze.

Yesterday, the chairperson of the Trade Union arrived at the session of the parliamentary committee of education, science and culture with her hands tied up and demanded to be introduced with the change made in the Georgian Labor Code.

Ghurchumelidze intends to hunger strike in front of the parliament’s building beginning September 24 in this regard.

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