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ARMENIAN LANGUAGE FACES SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN GEORGIA: ACTIVISTS UNABLE TO RAISE CONCERNS TO ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
Tert.am
30.07.10
Each year more and more Armenian schools are shut down in Georgia,
Coordinator of Tbilisi Assembly of Armenians, Arnold Stepanyan told
Tert.am, adding that the first reason the is a decreased number of
schoolchildren.
"Today no reforms are being made in the Armenian schools in Georgia;
they [the schools] have come to be of poor quality. These schools
do not meet the quality [norms] that existed 15 years ago," said
Stepanyan apparently concerned about what is happening with Armenian
heritage and culture in Georgia.
The Armenian schools are not competitive with the Georgian ones
therefore the Georgia-based Armenians prefer to send their children
to Georgian and Russian schools.
Further Mr Stepanyan said that the Georgian authorities make obstacles
for Armenian schools to make sure they don't have a chance to grow and
develop. By doing, according to him, they try to shape an Armenian
community which does not require anything and does not strive for
anything either.
"A community with poor knowledge [also about its roots and origin]
is easy to rule," explained he.
Speaking about the fact that the school classes allotted for the
Armenian language and history have recently been reduced at the
Armenian schools in Samtskhe-Javakheti and some activist teachers have
been sacked for taking measures to preserve the Armenian language
there, Stepanyan said that a "fight" has been launched against the
Armenian language in Georgia.
He also mentioned that the schools and the language preservation
are in serious need in Georgia, especially in Samtskhe-Javakheti -
something, according to him that must be addressed at the state level
but "Armenia's government does not cooperate with us."
"I wanted to meet with Armenia's foreign minister [Edward Nalbandyan],
who recently paid a visit to Georgia, and present the issue to him.
Unfortunately, me and those raising Armenians' problems were not
given the chance," said Mr Stepanyan, adding that currently there
are 150 Armenian schools in Georgia.
From: A. Papazian
Tert.am
30.07.10
Each year more and more Armenian schools are shut down in Georgia,
Coordinator of Tbilisi Assembly of Armenians, Arnold Stepanyan told
Tert.am, adding that the first reason the is a decreased number of
schoolchildren.
"Today no reforms are being made in the Armenian schools in Georgia;
they [the schools] have come to be of poor quality. These schools
do not meet the quality [norms] that existed 15 years ago," said
Stepanyan apparently concerned about what is happening with Armenian
heritage and culture in Georgia.
The Armenian schools are not competitive with the Georgian ones
therefore the Georgia-based Armenians prefer to send their children
to Georgian and Russian schools.
Further Mr Stepanyan said that the Georgian authorities make obstacles
for Armenian schools to make sure they don't have a chance to grow and
develop. By doing, according to him, they try to shape an Armenian
community which does not require anything and does not strive for
anything either.
"A community with poor knowledge [also about its roots and origin]
is easy to rule," explained he.
Speaking about the fact that the school classes allotted for the
Armenian language and history have recently been reduced at the
Armenian schools in Samtskhe-Javakheti and some activist teachers have
been sacked for taking measures to preserve the Armenian language
there, Stepanyan said that a "fight" has been launched against the
Armenian language in Georgia.
He also mentioned that the schools and the language preservation
are in serious need in Georgia, especially in Samtskhe-Javakheti -
something, according to him that must be addressed at the state level
but "Armenia's government does not cooperate with us."
"I wanted to meet with Armenia's foreign minister [Edward Nalbandyan],
who recently paid a visit to Georgia, and present the issue to him.
Unfortunately, me and those raising Armenians' problems were not
given the chance," said Mr Stepanyan, adding that currently there
are 150 Armenian schools in Georgia.
From: A. Papazian