Friday, 2 May 2014
PM Visits Byureghavan Boarding School In Wake Of OHRD Disclosure
In connection with the high-profile disclosure of facts submitted by the Office of Human Rights Defender, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan paid a surprise visit to the Byureghavan boarding school for child care and protection under the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. Hovik Abrahamyan was accompanied by MP Ruzanna Muradyan, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan, Kotayk Marz Governor Kovalenko Shahgaldyan, HRD Karen Andreasyan.
In the presence of the Director and the staff of the boarding school, the OHRD representatives reported to the Prime Minister on the facts identified by them, according to which during a lesson, one of the educators hit the hand of one of the pupils with his pen, and insulted the latter with obscene remarks. Note that the Office of the Ombudsman had identified several instances of serving expired food at the institution along with poor food storage conditions. The Director said that the warehouse manager and an educator had been reprimanded in this connection.
Addressing the Director, the Premier said, “How can you allow such an attitude, if children’s health is at stake? What would you do, if your own child were treated like this? I cannot understand who gave you the right to do so? What does it mean to give a reprimand? You should have immediately fired those responsible. I am going to be very strict to all of you and many people will be fired.”
Thanking the Prime Minister for the visit, HRD Karen Andreasyan said that the fate of children in the boarding may change.
In turn, Minister of labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan, reported that an integrated supervision and monitoring system is being introduced, with a unified information database established for all boarding institutions.
In summary, Hovik Abrahamyan stressed that this kind of attitude to children should be ruled out henceforth. The problem will be the center of his attention. In conclusion, the head of government instructed the heads of relevant departments to give an adequate solution to the problem and take the necessary steps to prevent such events from occurring in schools.
The Prime Minister took a tour of the School, called at the cafeteria and talked with students.
