Ombudsman to Study Zugdidi School Principal Death Case
By Tea Mariamidze
Tuesday, December 11
Georgia’s Public Defender, Nino Lomjaria says she will study the case of Zugdidi N6 Public School principal's death, who had a stroke after the inspection of the facility was carried out and died in the hospital.
According to the family, the health condition of the school principal Ia Kerzaia worsened after she was dismissed. The family claims that earlier the woman refused to join supporters of the new President Salome Zourabichvili during the election period.
"We decided that this fact should be studied not only in discriminatory terms but in all contexts, as it is allegedly related to pressure during elections and the use of administrative resources. So, we will examine all the circumstances surrounding the incident,” Lomjaria said.
The Ombudsman explained she has communication with the family of the deceased, and the report will be prepared after the case is properly studied.
“At this stage, I can only confirm that this case is in the priorities of the Public Defender,” she added.
Ia Kerzaia’s son, Bachana Shengelia, says her mother was the victim of repression and political persecution. He said that the pressure was coming from the education minister and the intention was intimidation of the school principal because she many times refused to become the activist of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Kerzaia died on December 9, after she was operated on at the hospital. On November 26 she published a letter in local media, saying on November 9, the inspectors came from the Ministry of Education to carry out an inspection based on an anonymous complaint.
She said the complaint read she was misappropriating school funds. Kerzaia rejected the allegations, saying she was democratically elected director and worked hard for the welfare of the school and pupils.
Bachana Shengelia also published a letter in late November on Facebook, saying his mother and the whole school staff were under pressure for one week by the inspectors, adding they questioned everyone quite strictly and warned about proper consequences.
The Ministry of Education explained that the 6th public school of Zugdidi was examined from 9 to 15 November on the basis of a citizen's complaint.
The ministry says administrative, financial and sanitary-hygienic grave violations had been revealed at school. The conclusion was sent to the Board of Trustees for further steps.
The ministry also stated that despite the violations, Kerzaia was not released from her post.
