The organization “Young Barristers” won the litigation against the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancment of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. Tbilisi City Court on October 8, 2014, has declared invalid Act N129202 issued in 17/04/2013 by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement, by which was denied the confirmation of the authenticity of the certificate of vocational education for Nino Kumsiashvili. According to the court decision, the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement instructed to study thoroughly the issue of the document confirming the education of Nino Kumsiashvili and adopt a new decision, taking into consideration specific internal and international legal acts.
The “Young Barristers” remarks, that the dispute with administrative body by its content, goes beyond the legal reasoning and makes know for the society the fact of issuing fake certificates by the former Minister of Education and Science of Georgia - Dimitri Shashkini.
The issue concerns a signature of the Minister of Shashkini, proving graduation certificates issued for medical college students. #1 Medical College of Tbilisi in 2008-2009, had been issuing false certificates for Graduates with the signature of Shashkini, when during the above-mentioned period, the institution had no vocational education license, nor the authority to issue certificates. In this regard, the Minister Dimitri Shashkini had an obligation to control the activities and decisions of the college, however, the certificates were printed with the signature of Dimitri Shashkini and intentionally or unintentionally, the Ministery did not have any response on this fact of violation.
The organization has applied to Tbilisi City Court after the fact, when the medical school graduated Nino Kumsiashvili encountered problems with employer on the issue of the validity of the certificate. Nino Kumsiashvili graduated from #1 Medical College of Tbilisi in 2010 and received the certificate which proved her aducation with the signature of the former Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Dimitri Shashkini. After the uncertainty emerged with the employer in April 2013, the plaintiff requested a certificate of authenticity and validation from the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancment. The plaintiff declined to confirm the authenticity on the grounds that in 2008-2009, the university had no vocational education license. The Ministry informally recognized an error, although it did not make any official explanation how much lawful were the certificates issued by the college for Graduates with the signature of Minister Dimitri Shashkin, which had been suspended the license from the ministry itself. The ministry in dealing with college, did not consider Nino Qumsiashvili’s legal rights and interests of good faith and refused to recognize the certificate.
The court recognized lawful the claims of the “Young Barristers” on the case. The case was discussed by the judge Nino Oniani and the interests of the plaintiff was represented by the co-founder of the “Young Barristers” – Marika Arevadze. It is unknown whether or not the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancment of the Ministry will appeal the court decision.
