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Nursery Schools either Closed or Pulled Down in Kakheti Region

February 11, 2009

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

Nursery schools in Kakheti region are in poorest conditions. Rain water is leaking in the buildings from damaged roofs. The floors are in poor conditions. In order to protect children from falling into the basement, teachers do not allow them to go out of one room. Besides that, many municipality boards in the region refused to fund children’s nutrition. Parents bring food for their children to the nursery school every day. The number of beneficiaries at kindergartens has decreased because of unbearable conditions in it. Since nursery schools do not have enough beneficiaries municipality boards started to close them.

Mass reduction of nursery schools in Kakheti region started in summer of 2007 and it still continues. Nearly 100 kindergartens were closed in the region based on the resolutions of district administrations. This decision was explained by optimization of pre-school educational institutions initiated by local self-governance and short budget. However, at the meeting when municipality board decided to close several nursery schools, chairpersons of municipality boards increased their salaries from 1 000 to 1 500 GEL and district governors increased their salaries from 1 500 to 2 100 GEL.

The same happened in 2009. Members of municipality boards immediately increased salaries of the personnel of local self-governance and administration as soon as Mikheil Saakashvili issued resolution on increasing the salaries of public officials. Not a single member of the municipality boards in Kakheti region, representatives of neither ruling nor opposition parties remembered short budgets of the districts. Whilst, everybody claims that a nursery school with few children, regardless its being located in mountainous district or far away from district center, is not necessary and should be closed.

For example, Lagodekhi district administration decided to close nursery school in the village of Gurgeniani several days ago. According to preliminary information the administration is discussing abolishment of several other nursery schools. Local residents together with district based non-governmental organizations protest this fact.

“Quite solid sums are allocated for the expenses of municipality board and district administration. It is not difficult to reduce administrative expenses and spend the released money on the improvement of living conditions in nursery schools. Instead, local authority found easier solution of the problem and started to close kindergartens. Pre-school educational institution should be main priority for local authority,” said Mamuka Iskandarashvili, economist of the Association for Civil Development.

Despite that, Gia Gozalishvili, Lagodekhi district governor, considers that nursery schools with few children cannot comply with standards and shall be closed.

Other district governors of Kakheti region have similar attitude to the question. Furthermore, Zurab Butskhrikidze, Telavi district governor, stated that nursery schools shall not be funded from state budget and they should be on self-funding.

Nino Vashakashvili, director of the Union of Telavi pre-school educational institutions, thinks that if district governor’s idea is realized in practice, every kindergarten will be soon closed down in Telavi. “People are impoverished. They cannot afford to pay fees for nursery schools from which teachers get their salaries. Besides that, it will be impossible to carry out any kind of rehabilitation works in nursery schools. Buildings of nursery schools are in poor conditions. If nursery schools are self-funded, all of them will be automatically closed down,” said Nino Vashakashvili.

Nursery schools are in poorest conditions in Gurjaani district too. According to the conclusion of the financial-budget commission of the municipality board rain-water is leaking directly into the rooms where children spend day. Consequently, it is difficult to keep them in the building. “Gurjaani nursery school # 2, kindergartens in the villages of Arashenda, Kachreti, Kalauri and others require immediate rehabilitation. Sewerage systems must be changed in all other nursery schools in the district; the furniture in every school must be changed,” said the conclusion of the commission. Situation in Kalauri nursery school is so unbearable that parents cannot send their children there. They think the lives of their children are not protected there. The roof is so damaged that it can fall down any moment. Despite urgent situation in nursery schools Gurjaani district budget for 2009 do not envisage funds for the rehabilitation. The union of nursery schools requested 20 500 GEL for their rehabilitation.

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