THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR YEREVAN STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION DO NOT WANT TO ACCEPT THAT THEIR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE CORRUPTED
Noyan Tapan
Mar 06 2007
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The Social-Democratic Hunchak Party
"Sargis Tkhruni" youth union is blackmailed and has got letters of
different character from those responsible for a number of Armenian
state institutions of higher education. Reality of results of social
surveys held by the union are called into question in them. Union
head Narek Galstian stated about it at the March 6 meeting held in
"Pastark" club. In his words, those letters started after the fact
when results of social surveys concerning corruption held in Yerevan
state institutions of higher education on their union’s initiative
on December 10-18 of 2006 were sent to those institutions, with RA
Minister of Education and Science Levon Mkrtchian’s awareness. To
recap, according to results of that social survey, in the opinion
of 1821 students from 2000 surveyed ones, there is corruption in
Armenian institutions of higher education. Only 179 students has
had no cause yet to make themselves sure that they take a bribe at
higher educational institutions. By the way, even sizes of the bribe
for a pass-examination or examination at different institutions of
higher education were mentioned. According to data of social surveys,
the Yerevan State Agrarian University heads the list of corrupted
institutions of higher education. The head of the union initiated the
social survey stated at the meeting with journalists that the last
similar letter was got by Yerevan M.Heratsi State Medical University
Rector Gohar Kyalian who insists that no similar social survey was
at all held in their institution of higher education. In N.Galstian’s
words, an attempt is made just by it to cast a shadow on the done work
and its doers. N. Galstian also mentioned that results of the social
survey and the methodology were presented to the Minister of Education
and Science, after what they also have two meetings with him. Minister
L. Mkrtchian agreed to cooperate with the union in the issue of
anti-corruption struggle. It was decided to found new independent
non-partisan students’ trade unions which will in their places struggle
against corruption. The young union head expressed confidence that,
owing to honest and independent students it is possible to soften
those phenomena more strained during the recent period.