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NO "LEGAL" ARMENIAN SCHOOLS IN GEORGIA, CLAIMS JAVAKHK ARMENIAN REP
Vahe Sarukhanyan
hetq
13:36, July 7, 2011
Davit Rstakyan, President of the "Virk" party in Georgia stated
today at a press conference that schools teaching in the languages of
national minorities in the country do not operate de-jure but de-facto.
He then cites the example of Armenian language schools in Javakhk as
de-facto operating schools.
Rstakyan said that a person could sue a teacher for teaching geography
in Armenian and ultimately win the case in the courts.
He labelled the situation as "catastrophic" and argues that those who
claim that Armenian schools in Georgia exist and stating falsehoods.
When asked why Armenians in Georgia don't want to study Georgian,
given that knowledge of the language would help alleviate a number
of problems they face otherwise, Nork Karapetyan, who heads the
"Javakhk Democratic Movement", responded that Armenians feared losing
their language.
"We are primarily concerned with preserving Armenian and only then
learning Georgian. A few years ago a Georgian institute opened in
Kutais and many Armenian youth enrolled. After studying Georgian for
4 years they returned to Javakh but only 1% have jobs today. In other
words, it's all a smokescreen."
The speakers agreed that Armenia was more active in Javakhk in the
past than today.
"In recent years, Armenia has regarded us more as a part of the
diaspora, but we aren't," argued Rstakyan.
Vahe Sarukhanyan
hetq
13:36, July 7, 2011
Davit Rstakyan, President of the "Virk" party in Georgia stated
today at a press conference that schools teaching in the languages of
national minorities in the country do not operate de-jure but de-facto.
He then cites the example of Armenian language schools in Javakhk as
de-facto operating schools.
Rstakyan said that a person could sue a teacher for teaching geography
in Armenian and ultimately win the case in the courts.
He labelled the situation as "catastrophic" and argues that those who
claim that Armenian schools in Georgia exist and stating falsehoods.
When asked why Armenians in Georgia don't want to study Georgian,
given that knowledge of the language would help alleviate a number
of problems they face otherwise, Nork Karapetyan, who heads the
"Javakhk Democratic Movement", responded that Armenians feared losing
their language.
"We are primarily concerned with preserving Armenian and only then
learning Georgian. A few years ago a Georgian institute opened in
Kutais and many Armenian youth enrolled. After studying Georgian for
4 years they returned to Javakh but only 1% have jobs today. In other
words, it's all a smokescreen."
The speakers agreed that Armenia was more active in Javakhk in the
past than today.
"In recent years, Armenia has regarded us more as a part of the
diaspora, but we aren't," argued Rstakyan.