Standardized Testing–Mechanism for Hand picking Staff?

Gela Mtivlishvili, Gurjaani

Every civil servant in Kakheti Regional Administration will have to take a civil service examination. The test is now compulsory and those who do not answer 75 questions out of 100 correctly will be dismissed from their positions. The Human Rights Center has information in its procession that all employees of all Municipality Boards and District administrations of Kakheti Region must stand for this exam. The bodies of local self governance and administrations have already received the instructions in this regard.

The employees of Kakheti Regional administration will take the exam on December 20, 2008. The regulations of Contest-Certification Commission of the Regional Governor’s Administration, order and sample annexes have already been published in a regional newspaper.

Why was this test exam necessary? Who is the head of the Contest-Certification Commission in the Regional Governor’s administration and who makes this commission? Does this test exam aim at massively ousting officials from their positions? We applied to Giorgi Sibashvili, Deputy Kakheti Regional Governor and put these questions to him.

Mr. Giorgi why has it become necessary to hold a test exam in Kakheti Regional Governor’s administration? Do you not like the level of the professionalism of governmental employees?

- The Georgian Law on Civil Service defines the contents and rules of the test exam. We have taken into consideration that the test exam has not been conducted for the subordinates of Kakheti Regional Governor. We consider that the demands of law must be followed constantly. 

The employees of all district administrations in Kakheti Region must take the test exam.  When will the exam be held and who will take it?

- I think that all officials, both in state bodies and the bodies of local self governance must be well qualified. The selection of staff is the prerogative of a District Governor and in coordination with the District Municipality Board. As for the Contest-Certification and the list of positions that fall under the test exam responsibility, these issues are to be decided by the head of subsequent district administration, as it is prescribed by the Georgian legislation.

Maybe the aim of the Contest-Certification is the lack of qualification of some of officials and you need grounds to dismiss them.
- It is not the aim of the Contest-Certification to evaluate officials’ qualification. We are simply following the demand of the law but how do you think is it good to have under qualified officials?

Who is the head of the Contest-Certification Commission in the Regional Governor’s administration and who comprise this commission?
- The Kakheti Regional Governor was appointed the chairperson of the Contest-Certification Commission for the selection of the Kakheti Regional administration employees based on the order # 24 of the head of the Civil Service Bureau dating November 10, 2008. This fact is in accordance with the Article 85 f the Georgian Law on Civil Service. The commission consists of me, the Telavi State University rector and several professors of the Telavi State University so far.

It is given in the regulations of the Contest-Certification Commission within the Regional Administration a contest can be held either in the form of a test or an interview. What will be the commission selected in this case?
- A test exam will be held and then if some positions are still empty another contest will be held with a test exam and interview. I think the contest will be more fair and transparent in due to test exam.

According to these regulations special exam tests will be given on the test exam. The tests are complied according to contest- certificate program that are approved in advance and are based on Georgian legislation. The program covers the following laws: the Georgian Law on State Purchase, Georgian Law on Budget System, and Georgian Law on the Basics of Bill System and some other laws. Will everyone have questions from these laws or only lawyers?

- Test exam will include only the part of legislative acts that are obligatory for officials working in a district governor’s office (except for the technical staff). Knowing simply issues are necessary in their everyday work.

According to the regulations for transparency of test exam regional NGOs will observe the test exam. However, according to the same regulations, the observers don’t have right of movement while in the testing room; they must stay at one place during the exam. As a consequence, they will be unable to observe the actual process.

How do you think what other right or status can we give to NGOs other than the status of an observer and you know the definition of an observer?
-  I think it is possible to evaluate transparency and publicity of test exam via observers.

Nino Andriashvili, lawyer of the Human Rights Center: “As far as we know the aim of the contest is to dismiss unfavorable staff members from District administrations.

We are convinced that new officials will be selected based on their political affiliation and their friendly relations with the regional and district authorities. Even though the National Movement has been continuously claiming that they do not care about political affiliation of people, in actuality, however, the facts show a different reality. For the most part those who are members and activists of the National Movement, or those people with whom the ruling party has faith are able to be provided places to work. Besides, it is difficult to believe that the Contest-Certification Commission is unbiased when Giorgi Gotsiridze, rector of the Telavi State University is a member of this commission. This is the same infamous person who persecuted professors for their political affiliation. He has employed his wife, brother, brother-in-law and other relatives in the University.”