Private kindergarten - whose property?

Firuza Tagiyeva, a former teacher of the hastily closed private kindergarten "Kids Studio", located in Yasamal district of Baku, involved in the scandalous, was video detained as a suspect. Tagiyeva is accused under Article 133 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (torture), and has been arrested for three months as a preventive measure, the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Operative and investigative measures are ongoing. The woman is accused of ill-treatment and beating little children in the center of "Kids Studio".

The video of the beating a baby in this kindergarten exploded domestic social networks. As it turned out, the video was distributed by the receptionist of the kindergarten who was fired. The head of the kindergarten Nigar Museibova said that she did not know about video shootings, and the kindergarten is suspending its activity until the scandal subsides.

The official reaction, as it usually happens in Azerbaijan, came soon. The head of the public relations sector of the Ministry of Education, Jasaret Valehov, hastened to say that the kindergarten "Kids studio" operating in Baku worked illegally, without a license. ASAN xidmət deals with the issue of licenses for the activities of pre-school institutions.

Elgun Safarov, the head of the information and analytical research department of the State the Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, said that in connection with this scandal the department started the investigation jointly with the representatives of the relevant structures. Violence against children is unacceptable.

The sad experience of major accidents, fires, landslides and scandals in Azerbaijan shows that the government agencies usually distance themselves, and their tactic is "my hut with the edge". Their answers are patterned, veiled. However, many remember that a few years ago, authorities for some reason excluded pre-school institutions from the subordination of the Ministry of Education and handed them over to local executive authorities. To establish order in this sphere, profile departments were created in urban and district Executive Powers.

Therefore, of course, journalists in connection with "Kids studio" appealed to the Department of preschool educational institutions and orphanages in the Baku Executive Power.

What was the answer?

"The Executive power does not control the activities of private kindergartens, and we do not know who does this. We control the state kindergartens, " the website Modern .az quotes the official of the executive power.

"According to the Ministry of Taxes, there are 94 private kindergartens in the country, and only approximately 20-25 are licensed to operate. To obtain this document, it is required about 1,600 manat, plus other informal expenses for processing the package of documents. The conditions for registration of this type of business are difficult, so many entrepreneurs do not want to engage in kindergartens," said Kamran Asadov, an education expert.

A well-known sociologist, Professor Ahmed Gashamoglu suggests looking at the situation from a different point of view.

"Today kindergartens are the same business area as the sale of household appliances. Some official or businessman has money and he gives these funds to his wife, daughter, sister, so that they open kindergarten, recruit children and employees. The main goal is to recoup as soon as possible the invested funds, to receive income. As for professionalism educators, then this is secondary. When a problem arises, then with the help of "the patron" it becomes possible to settle the problem. This situation leads to impunity, negligence," emphasizes Gashamoglu.

Indeed, from the talks of Turan correspondent with ordinary employees of some private kindergartens in the capital, officials from the Ministry of Education it becomes clear that private kindergartens are property of high-ranking officials, deputies of the Milli Majlis. These objects belong to their wives or other relatives. Therefore, even if desired, representatives of local executive power cannot inspect them, so that that not to face problems and pressure from above. This situation is similar to the situation in certain sectors of the economy where there is a monopoly.

Kamran Asadov points out, the root of the problem lies in the absence of proper control over the sphere of preschool education, especially private institutions. In order to establish order here, first, the system of preschool institutions needs to be transferred to the Ministry of Education, secondly, to solve the personnel problem, thirdly, to build new kindergartens, and finally, to give public information about the owners of these facilities.

"We need a single center to manage this system. Therefore, it is advisable to take out the local kindergartens from subordination of the executive power, and to kindergartens and transfer them to the Ministry of Education, as it was before. The same should be applied to the private kindergartens, taking the advantage of the absence of control advertise themselves, attract children, and receive big incomes," the expert points out.