Davit Tsikarishvili: “Requesting students to pass the subjects that they never studied in school is unfair.”
November 16, 2010
Salome Achba
The Ministry of Education and Science adopted the program of the diploma exams for 2010-2011 academic years. This year’s 12th graders will be the first to pass 8 exams for receiving diploma. As the Ministry of Education states, this reform will evaluate the student’s knowledge more fairly and objectively. The diploma exams generated protest among some people, especially the 12th graders themselves and their parents. They state that they have not thoroughly studied those subjects included in the exams. The decision of the Ministry of Education is also protested by the Free Professional Union of Educators Ertoba (unity). The representative of Ertoba spoke with the representative of humanrights.ge
- how would you estimate the establishment of diploma exams for 12th graders?
- This topic needs two-sided analyses, firstly, purely educational and secondly – in terms of human rights. Let’s start with the fact that 12th graders are the victims of the so-called reform. For so long now the Ministry of Education can’t develop its educational ideology and strategy. We can’t ask the students to pass the subjects that they have not studied in the school. For years, no adequate inquiry and evaluation took place. The teachers didn’t have an opportunity to normally explain the lessons. Practically no proper books existed and on the light of this situation, it turns out that the students will have to pass 8 exams. The standard of these exams resembles the standard used by the Soviet schools. Most of the 12th graders will probably not be able to demonstrate their knowledge, but not because they have not studied. They were notified that the exams would be conducted by rules unfamiliar for them very late. Studying certain disciplines while the education process and preparation for exams are two different things. The academic and exams standards should comply with one another.
- The subjects included in the diploma exams have been studied by the students for 12 years. Is this time not enough for at least crossing the minimum threshold?
- The fact is that if the students are not ready for the new exams, this unreadiness can’t be blamed on them. At first they studied in trimesters, the class was allowed to choose the humanitarian or scientific subjects (however, often the principals advised them on this matter); they studied the subjects prioritical for them and paid no attention to other disciplines. Chemistry, Physics and Biology was taught as one (so-called integrated) subject, the same about History and Geography. Then it was divided. After the division of the disciplines, the lack of books was the problem. The students know what they were taught but don’t know what they were not taught and what they are required to pass. To pass these eight exams, the student needs to be prepared by tutors that amounts to about 4-5 thousand GEL. The fact that 16-17-year-olders won’t be able to simultaneously work with tutors and at school for 8-10 hours and more a day.
- And this all is the violation of human rights?
- Let’s start with the fact that the government puts all input against the request of protest rally (request on the abolition or postpone of some exams) and not against the essence of the rally. The Minister states that the exam barrier will be minimal. It is little hard to believe this, but say we believe it, why necessarily eight exams plus with different standards? All the governmental and pro-governmental TV channels call these students “failures” (since President stated so). So to say it short, the whole propagandist machine has started working. Nobody thought of going to the protest rally and talking with the participants. However, there are many security officials there. 8 principals lost their jobs as though they could control the minds of students. As for the ones who resisted to resign, their family members were threatened. The parents of the protest rally participants were also intimidated. To say it short, they are working on the intimidation of protest rally participants and not on the negotiations. However, two things should be considered – first, this government never talked with its opponents and second – the government’s position is so lame, that they are scared to start the negotiations.
- What can be a way out of this situation?
- I think this problem should be solved beneficially for the students. There are tens of solutions. They can restrict the ignorant students to enter the university. It is very important that society should not yield young people to the repressive machine. This needs a lot of precaution. It’s very hard to bear injustice in this age.
Also, I want to use this opportunity and make one statement not linked to the topic. This is absolutely separate topic. The situation is intensified in the education system. The coordination is needed among the NGOs, Trade Unions (except for yellow Trade Union) and other stakeholders to save something.
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