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In these hot summer days, as usually, I attended
my native qishloq Chorkuh named so due to the relief of the
locality. Surrounded from four quarters by mountains whose
pinnacles covered with snow all year round the relief possesses
inordinary colouring. Mountainous massifs are especially rich
in this respect. The purl of a small mountainous river disintegrated
into tens of brooks, birds' singing, mild weather and the
air enabling an easy breath- all this gives strength and inspiration
for everyone who comes here. But this time I had no chance
to enjoy this natural gift. Passing the rural graveyard I
ran into an old man sitting on a small hill. On coming nearer
and looking into his face I recognized my teacher Abduali
Qahhorov in this gray-haired, emaciated and deeply sorrowful
person. Greeting him I understood he didn't recognize me,
but not because he didn't remember me, simply his eyes were
already weak. I had to introduce myself. When I called my
name tears gushed down his cheeks. It was natural, of course,
to speak about a bitter destiny of a teacher. Who could understand
him better at that moment? My ustod was eager to speak with
me, as a journalist, first of all.
"Today teacher is needed by no one, he is left to the
mercy of fate. Nothing is remained from former esteem and
prestige. Meager salary and penury make teachers desert school.
Today to have a piece of bread a teacher is prompt to be hired
for jobs by rich people, he becomes a mardikor bending his
back as a slave from dawn to dusk instead of giving knowledge
to children. Moreover, many teachers emigrated to other countries.
Just as my colleagues, I have beggar's pension. My sons -
Abdullo and Ilhom - were compelled to become Gastarbeiter
and go to Russia, but in Kazan where they worked misfortune
attacked them. They even had had no time to stand on firm
footing when the tragedy happened. Unknown people invaded
their apartment and killed them both. Instead of good news
from the children I got zinc coffins. Having not overcome
this nightmare my wife died soon, - my teacher told with tears
in his eyes. - Now I am here from morning till night, I find
comfort near the graves of my dearest and nearest. My pain
doesn't ebb, though I try to pull myself together, tears pour
down by themselves. My eyesight worsened. That's why I didn't
manage to discern you at once".
As for the plight of teachers, I was aware of it well enough,
and still ustod's story pierced my heart, it was at that very
moment that I made up my mind to write about the severe fate
of the people who once enjoyed the greatest authority in society.
What can be said as to this? Today a teacher is really in
the situation of a pauper being ready to stretch his palm
for alms, but he can't do it due to his moral principles.
The situation of inconsolability, searches for a source of
subsistence make a teacher abandon the sphere of education,
refuse from bringing up the growing generation. There are
a lot of examples of this type. For instance, only for the
previous year 812 teachers deserted comprehensive schools
over Panjakent district. They had to act so as low salaries
didn't afford to support families. In the outcome there was
nobody to teach children in some schools. In urgent order
the decision was taken to involve local school-leavers in
pedagogical activity, they had to replace their tutors. Comprehensive
institutions of the district sustain the deficiency of pedagogical
personnel up to now. Almost a half of teachers don't have
higher education. At their recurrent session deputies of local
majlises representing the sphere of education spoke about
this troublesome situation shaped at schools. Alarming notes
sounded in the orations of K. Otaboyev and N. Salimboyev to
the issue of the approaching new school year. They adduced
the figure of 3.5 thousand lessons missed all in all by the
pupils over the district. There were no teachers. However,
reckoning for support and debates on this issue the two deputies
perceived only their colleagues' sympathy in response. The
session only acknowledged this plight to be real and that's
all.
Such state of tings is not only in the Zarafshon Valley. For
example, the teacher of the highest category from Konibodom
Tursunboy Haidarov having 30 years service record has been
having no rest for the last 7-8 years. He works during his
summer leaves. He executes diverse kinds of jobs. For this
time he mastered the professions of carpenter, mason, welder,
house-painter. He can't support this large family of 7 members
for his meager teacher's salary. You need 75 somoni a month
only for one person meals. His family budget should be no
less than 500 somoni. Apart from it children should be equipped
for school. They need clothes, books. So, he has no other
way out but to work additionally. T. Haidarov deems that is
a man has a profession beset with building he can earn good
money without going outside Tajikistan. "For a week I
have my teacher's month salary"-, says the pedagogue.
But you can combine jobs when you are young and strong. But
what should such people, as my ustod do? He is far above seventy.
Young teachers changed a pen for ketmen or other tools. In
summer many of them are engaged in construction and repairs
of houses cottages, facilitation of land plots attached to
them. My friend Ismail, just as other citizens, began to build
a new house. Following an oriental custom I visited my friend
and his workers having brought a modest present. My visit
coincided with dinner break. Having tea I was talking with
one of mardikors. His name was Akram. He worked as a teacher
in one of Aini district schools. He has four children, his
spouse is a housewife. His old parents live together with
them. Being a teacher he earned 30-50 somoni a month. But
this money was not paid in time. It eventuated in family problems.
His salary did not suffice to have his children dressed and
nourished, it was difficult to bring them up: into the bargain,
adults also being his dependants. He had to change his profession,
to become a mardikor. At present he earns 80-120 somoni. He
leaves only a minor part of his salary; the rest of money
is sent to his relatives. "I wanted to go to Russia.
But because of material hardships I didn't manage to set out
for journey. This thought disturbs me as before. When I have
an opportunity I shall go still. I must work and earn. Children
have grown up, I must have them to be placed in life somehow.
Parents are old, they may die any moment. You know Muslim
customs very well. They are beset with large expenses. May
be, it would be easier for me to leave for Russia from here,
still migrational channels have been adjusted. Into the bargain,
I have friends here. I reckon for their help", - Akram
spoke out.
You can't help agreeing with him. Today a teacher in Tajikistan
not only has a miserable salary, he/she doesn't get it in
time, in addition. Summing up the totals of the semester the
minister of education of Tajikistan Republic S. Rajabov stated:
"Regretfully, there are cases of untimely payments of
wages to the employees of the educational sphere in Sughd
and Khatlon viloyats. Sughd viloyat Hukumat arrears amount
up to 681729 somoni for 1.06.2003, Khatlon viloyat Hukumat
owes 288300 somoni to the sphere of education. Teachers from
Zafarobod district several times had applied to the local
authorities on account of delays in payment but nobody payed
attention to it. They were compelled to address the government
and only after the interference of the president's service
they were payed five months debts". Of course, all these
problems associated with material condition of teachers account
for their mass exodus from the system of people's education.
According to the data of the commission in charge of young
specialist distribution this year 3902 graduates (2685 with
higher education, 1217 with special secondary one) were entitled
to the referrals enabling them to work in the sphere of education.
In case they appear in the places they were referred to still
over 9.1 thousand teachers will be needed over the republic.
Moreover, 3,5 thousand teachers who deserted school in the
year passed due to different reasons should be also replaced
by somebody. The figures of shortage are the following ones:
Sughd viloyat - 1544 teachers; Khatlon viloyat - 760; Dushanbe
- 358; KBAV - 200; Lenin district - 197; Vahdat district -
186.
In Khatlon viloyat the problem of teachers' staff is not solved
yet. Though hundreds of specialists graduate annually two
higher school, two pedagogical colleges and several pedagogical
school on the viloyat territory 5435 teachers lacked in secondary
schools, there was a dearth of teachers in Russian and English,
mother-tongue and native literature, mathematics, chemistry,
physics, history and geography. Today only elementary schools
need 1760 teachers. The deplorable state beset with deficiency
of teachers can be observed all over the republic. Apart from
official data there are non-official ones sometimes exceeding
formal statistics several times. In many schools children
are taught by school-leavers or one teacher conducts several
subjects concurrently. Derangement of teaching-learning process
often is caused by schools being not staffed with pedagogues.
On account of these reasons pupils' knowledge in Tajikistan
don't conform with requirements.
As practice manifests, many teachers put undeservedly high
marks to pupils. In reality the latters are unable to answer
elementary questions on the themes passed. Low level of knowledge
on the part of teachers themselves accounts for this plight
as well. Today the fact of tens of thousands of children not
drawn in studies causes alarm. Especially disturbing situation
is shaped in remote districts. Up to now female youth is prevented
from studying, this tendency is observed not infrequently.
The authorities and public circles can't eradicate the orders
when girls having finished 8th - 9th form are not let study
further by parents. On the spots administration undertakes
nothing or it tries not to notice when human rights and freedoms
are trampled down.
Namely such attitude towards education and upbringing creates
the grounds for accretion of negative social phenomena in
the society. One of such phenomena is the growth of trespasses
and crimes on the part of the underaged. Teenagers left without
supervision present a great danger today. Thus, for three
months of the current year juvenile delinquency in Sughd viloyat
enhanced 1.7 times, in other regions of the republic it increased
as well. But that is not all yet. This grievance is aggravated
with the problem of warmth and school accommodations. It's
no secret that in many remote districts of the republic many
schools don't function, especially in winter period. Today
the tempos of new schools erection are not up to the mark.
Hereby, a lot of schools were built in the 30-50-ies, now
they need either capital repairs or complete reconstruction.
Alongside with all these unsolved problems the quantum of
pupils will multiply for 58-60 thousand children more this
year, as the Ministry of education informs. Summing up all
above-expounded one can come to the conclusion that under
such a delay in the system of people's education we can hardly
expect a literate, well-trained and brought up generation
in future. In other words, today's situation in the system
of education may be looked upon as "a mine of retarded
action". If tens of thousands of children annually infuse
into society being uneducated, unable and unmannered it is
difficult to imagine the future of nation and state. It's
high time the systems of education in the republic were changed
radically. And this problem can't be solved without alterations
in state policy. In all world countries the attention of government
is focused primarily on the problems beset with education,
social state of pedagogues. In order not to be unsubstantiated
we shall adduce some examples from world practice.
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