06 January 2006, 20:26
Covert move against opposition
There are unofficial orders on the part of Azerbaijan's education minister for heads of national higher education institutions not to extend contracts with teachers who sympathise with the opposition. This is what Caucasian Knot's correspondent was told by a Baku higher education institution teacher who wished to remain anonymous.
Teachers at such institutions work on a contractual basis and the term of each contract is three years, according to our interlocutor. When a contract expires, it is extended, but not for everyone. "In order to continue work at a higher education institution, a teacher must manifest political loyalty besides performing their functions," he noted.
Besides, according to him, eavesdropping devices were installed in classrooms practically at all higher education institutions last summer and disloyal teachers are being shadowed. If a teacher is traced to be somehow connected to the opposition, he or she is at once fired or receives no contract extension, the source noted. "All this gives evidence that Stalin-era traditions still survive in Azerbaijan," he concluded.
Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent
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