“Lori Regonal Administration pressured Teachers”, states HCA
13:46, February 12, 2013 | News
Lori Regional Administration denies the statement.
Pursuant to the statement disseminated by Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor (HCA) on February 5, a training course on “Teachers for democratization and peace building in Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia,” is scheduled in Turkey within the period of February 2-7, 2013. The goal of the program is to enhance classroom management skills of school teachers in the aforementioned countries. An open call was disseminated to ensure training participation. Teachers from Lori region have also applied to the program.
According to the circulated statement, pressures are being exerted against the teachers on the part of Lori Regional Administration with a demand to refrain from participation in the training.
“Yesterday evening all of the teachers who were supposed to participate in the training course notified that they couldn’t take part by bringing in various excuses. We found out that most probably the school principals prohibited the teachers to participate in the seminar under the order of Culture and Education Department of Lori Regional Administration. The illness factor of one teacher’s father and the fact of another’s chairpersonship at the Olympiad were mentioned among the excuses brought up by the teachers, although during Serzh Sargsyan’s visit classes in all of the city schools were cancelled and at that time there were no concerns regarding the teaching process from Lori Regional Administration’s relevant department”, says Artur Sakunts, Chairman of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor. In his opinion, “Lori Regional Administration wants to appear even more catholic than the Roman Pope” by contradicting the policy adopted by the Government. “The RA authorities have repeatedly stated they were supporters of peaceful resolution of the conflict. It is an illiterate act on part of Lori Regional Administration”, states Mr. Sakunts.
Minas Sayadyan, Head of Education, Culture and Sports Department at the Lori Regional Administration considers this statement as a figment and adds, “I have heard of such an initiative, but I am neither interested nor eager to mingle. If a teacher has applied to the program, let him/her turn to the school principal and get permission in conformity with the law.” According to Minas Sayadyan, the permission will be considered lawful unless the teaching process is thwarted.
Teachers from #4 and #12 schools from Vanadzor and the community school of Ghursal had applied to participate in the program. As assures Hamlet Ghumaryan, principal of #4 primary school, no such pressure has been exerted from Lori Regional Administration. “Our teacher of Russian Karina Harutyunova, who is going to participate in the program, has submitted an application today and I have already approved it as an unpaid vacation. Either someone else will substitute her or the teacher will later resume the missed classes.”Nune Hovhannisyan, associate principal over organizational issues and at the same time English teacher of #12 primary school, claims that their school wasn’t subjected to pressures, either. She had submitted an application, but now, as a result of created chaos, refuses to participate. “I have many friends working at HCA and I never go against the grain despite having a job at a state institution, however, due to today’s turmoil, I don’t turn to my school principal for permission”, says Nune Hovhannisyan. As she assures HCA is informed about it.
We got informed from the interview with Artur Sakunts that he wasn’t aware of Nune Hovhannisyan’s decision and learnt from us that the teacher no longer wanted to partake in the training. “Everyone is a liar. How can one apply for the program and 2 days later announce that she doesn’t want to participate?” notes Artur Sakunts and adds that he has to go and find other teacher as substitutes to ensure the program participation.