Lecturers of Telavi State University Face Unemployment

Lecturers of Telavi State University Face Unemployment

According to Decree #73, approved by the Georgian Government, the optimization process of education will start in every city, where universities are located. The optimization process envisages the creation of University centres and uniting several higher education institutes. The Telavi population has already started to talk about increased unemployment.

From the 1st of April 2006, the Telavi Branch of the State Agrarian University has been united with the Telavi Ivane Gogebashvili State University.
According to Giorgi Gotsiridze, the Head of the Telavi Ivane Gogebashvili State University, “The unification of higher education institutions is an important part of the reforms and the same processes will soon start in every city, were universities are located.”

The students of the Telavi branch of the Agrarian University will be issued diplomas by the Telavi State University in May 2006. The staff of Agrarian University will also be employed before that date. A decrease in the number of work places will cause an corresponding increase in the number of unemployed teachers.

Gotsiridze says that examinations will be held for teachers in June. Lecturers who get high marks will be able to stay at the University.

Staff from the Telavi branch of the State Agrarian University are concerned about this decision. The majority of teachers are sure that the exams will not be objective. “The number of unemployed teachers will increase by September,” declare the lecturers from Telavi.

Veriko Kobiashvili from Telavi