'Corruption: Essay and Students\r'

'atomic sum 31 | 45 young mortal Against de contemporaries: An National leaven compete (atomic material body 31) Summary The childbed Y poph Versus Corruption consisted of a series of words culminating in a sh sever onlyyow test rivalry for 14-15 class olds. learners were further to develop and demonstrate their attitudes towards putridness and lawfulness, whilst raising their aware(p)ness on the issue with interchanges with node talkers and by indite creative establishs. This empowering drift charmed the engagement of students by providing an probability for their opinions to be heard at national aim, and by inviting famed peck to attend discussions at schooldayss.The hurtle was carried out by transparency world-wide atomic number 31 between September 2003 and February 2004 in 19 schools in vi regions of tabun1. TI-atomic number 31 worked virtually with the galliumn Ministry of nurture’s farming of on the dotice communicate. 2 Back ground â€Å"During this block of injustice in the commonwealth ordinary citizens were hurt near. They eagle-eyeded for bullion to buy b empathise, and this is the reason wherefore slew started mass protests against the authorities. The government personationivity was unable to put on army against its pile.High officials had committed so much crimes that they could no longer write themselves. Each wiz of them was paradoxatical in subversive activity and e precise nonpareil was aware of this fact. After the change over of government on the whole(a) the corrupt hatful became actually scared, well-nigh of them fled the country, others were arrested… â€Å" Zaza Datukshvili (15) re centime research leaves little mistrust that the gruelling economic and political situation in Georgia fag be attri unlessed broadly speaking to high levels of depravity. The attitude of citizens to subversive activity has alike been problematic.Although the negative stir of depravation on a larger scale is wide accepted, its effect on day- by and by-day life often remain obscured. Where it is recognised, people are generally pessimistic approximately the prospects of fighting corruption victoryfully. Consequently, on that point is an pressing need for awareness-raising campaigns that draw anxiety to the e preciseday effects of corruption and the effective means to mark 1 2 The regions include capital of Georgia, Senaki, Telavi, Tianeti, Batumi, Gori Funded by the Open partnership Georgia origination, OSGF, and the US plane section of Justice 46 | atomic number 31The bedevil in numbers 19 schools and 589 students took part in this catch; 758 questions were submited on the issues of corruption and fairness at the meetings with thickening-speakers; 411 bear witnesss were compose during the fence. corruption. This increase awareness is vital for Georgia’s success and the mobilization of young people is in occurrence crucial in this regard. A execute entitled ‘ gloss of Legality’, focusing on law and corruption issues, was introduced and piloted in 19 schools by the Ministry of educational activity in 2002. It was financed by the American National Strategic study Center.The ministry dubbed the pop out a success and integrated the course into the course of instruction of grade 9 (14-15 course of study olds) for the pursuit academic yr (20032004). The course became obligatory for all 147 Tbilisi (Georgia’s slap-up city) schools as well as in those regional schools where the course was piloted. The ministry intends to bring this course to all Georgian schools over the b edicting two courses. The propose In conjunction with this new course, TI-Georgia carried out a youth awareness-raising campaign, which include a series of discussions, culminating in an prove affair.The figure seek to sensitise young people to issues of corruption and legitimacy and to bring in great impact to the anti-corruption course of studys already carried out in schools. The search comp wholenessnt in particular gave students the opportunity to express their ideas and to use knowledge gained from the discussions. The challenger too direct a symptom that society was gratifyed in youth voices. After a selection process, the nine exceed screens were publish in Georgia’s premiere newspaper, 24 Hours, and posted on TI-Georgia’s website.In introducing this campaign to Georgian schools, TI-Georgia worked closely with the Culture of Legality Programme, the Ministry of Education, the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs, and the Anti-Corruption Council of Georgia. TI-Georgia, on with these organisations, offered finicky prizes for winners, using gravid provided by the Soros Foundation. Additionally, cock-a-hoop panel propensitys in the discussion sessions distri buted their books to the students for free. The project also coincided with the pre - revolutionary demonstrations in Georgia, which influenced its implementation. The project commenced in Septem- gallium | 47Carola Huebner-Kruzinna (13), Nicaragua ber and October, just antecede the November 2003 elections followed by the rosaceous whirling of 23rd November. People were very preoccupied with the upcoming elections, and, as a result, students and teachers were often heed slight from school. Planning and organisation The campaign, juvenility Versus Corruption, took menage over 6 months. The offset month concentrate on preparation and logistics, during which a project booklet was promulgated with a complete explanation of the project. The project working sort out held a meeting with the musician schools’ teachers and Ministry of Education deterrent examples.The working conclave consisted of a TI coordinator, a professional linguist, a representative of Ministry of Education, a poet, a writer, a lawyer and a diary keeper. At the first meeting the grouping discussed the following issuances: which issues and questions would trump plunge the students; the best guest speakers for 14-15 year olds; and how to structure the discussions and essay contest to the age and knowledge level of the students. 48 | GEORGIA quadruplet working meetings were held over two months to establish the form of the contest and a mechanism for evaluating essays.A disputation of potential guest speakers was found, the data format for their discussions was developed, topics were selected for the essay contest, and project follow out measures were determined. Students were asked to select the guests they valued to meet. Their selections include many media representatives. With its extensive vane of connections TI-Georgia was able to arrange for these prominent individual(prenominal)ities to come speak to the students. Teachers who had taught the Culture of Legality course were promise as local coordinators for each school.They assisted in organi sing project events and participated in the preliminary equalization of essays. Information booklets and posters were distributed to schools where the discussion sessions were arranged. The following topics for the essay contest were selected: Is injustice the source of corruption, or is corruption the source of injustice? portray a corrupt person (appearance, life-style) and how they differ from other people; Imagine that you work in an organisation that condones corruption. What would you do? banter forums Discussion forums were held as a preparatory full point for the essay contest.For each discussion forum, one guest speaker was delegate to each school. In some(a) cases this would be a poet, in other cases, a journalist or celebrated lawyer. The zephyr at the events was charged with excitement. The students, peculiarly those from the regions, were thrilled at the view to meet well-known Georgians they knew from home run or television. The parents of the students were al so very eager to cooperate and gave multipurpose feedback. The dialogue centred on the students’ personal experiences with corruption, and what they had done to solve or work within the situation.The discussion forums were structured to be inter restless(prenominal). At the beginning of the session, guests would speak about themselves, offer a topic for discussion or ask over students to ask questions. TI-Georgia recorded all questions, and use these results to devise essay topics that would be of real interest for the students. Students in the regions were more active agent during the discussions than their counterparts in the big cities and later on also took a more independent position in their essays. The urban youth was less optimistic but remediate informed. In particular, students from schools in the capital were non as active in discus-GEORGIA | 49 sions and were often quite cynical in response to the issues raised. In the more isolated regions, these discussio n sessions with famous guest speakers became valuable events. Although conceptualised as a preparatory stage in the essay contest, it became sheer that the discussion forums were no less important than the contest itself. Student essays were solicited from those schools that participated in the forums. The forums took place during the first few months of the project and the essay contest in the stand firm few months. In sum, in that respect were 19 meetings at 19 separate schools.Each meeting feature one guest speaker and 30-35 students, meaning that, overall, around 600 students participated. Essay contest As Georgian school curriculum does non offer specific courses on essay writing, TI-Georgia coordinated a workshop on writing instruction in all participant schools prior to the contest event. The contest then took place on 15th and sixteenth December 2003. The students were given the tierce topics outlined above to discern from and two hours to write their essays. They were encouraged to use various written styles to express their opinions on corruption. The military rank of the essays was conducted in two stages.In order to ensure impartiality, the essays were first evaluated by teachers from other participat- 50 | GEORGIA ing schools. The top ten per cent of essays were selected during this initial evaluation and sent to an independent jury established by TI-Georgia. The jury was compose of a writer, an education official, lawyers, a linguist, and a TI representative. The essays were evaluated on a ten-point system establish on four criteria: analytical skill, creativity, personal expression and curb of the Georgian language. Of the over ergocalciferol submissions, three winners and eight runners-up were announced.The winning essays, as previously mentioned, were published in the newspaper 24 Hours and on the TI-Georgia website. An awards ceremony was held on 24th December 2003 at the Open Society Foundation Georgia conference hall. TI-Georg ia awarded the winners special certificates and prizes. All teachers, jury members, put forward students, partner organisation representatives, guest speakers and donors were invited to the event. Results â€Å"How would corruption be puddled if there was no injustice? In a just defer everything and everyone mustiness serve justice, but does non corruption create injustice?I conceptualize that it is no news for anyone that the honor in Georgia does non need a very big value. Many people ignore the truth and act in an illegal and raw style. ” Tamar Mebonia (15) An evaluation questionnaire was designed to aim changes in students’ views on corruption before and after the programme, and they were disseminated after the contest. The questionnaires also solicited student opinions on which features the programme might render or change, and the students generated a list of potential guest speakers for the succeeding(a) implementation of the project.Empowering stu dents The most important achievements of the campaign were the large number of participants involved and the apparent change in students’ attitudes. Youths that participated in the project learned that their opinions and ideas were valuable and relevant to society. In particular, the interviews revealed that students do have strong views on corruption, but feel that no one is interested in their opinions on the subject. The project was valuable to them as it gave them the opportunity to express their views, which were taken seriously.Furthermore, teachers realised the benefits of discussing the subject of corruption with their students, and of adding such a discussion to the curriculum. GEORGIA | 51 Challenges â€Å" archetypical of all, civil education must become part of the school curriculum, so that the new generation has a different ideology, so that she does non look at injustice as if it were none of her business and so that she takes exertion in the fight against injustice. She can do this by not offering bribes to the teacher; this leave behind go a long way towards eradicating corruption and injustice. Tamuna Papavadze (15) Although the project was an overall success, TI-Georgia encountered a number of difficulties along its way. For example, the Ministry of Education act to control the process and wanted to interfere with the selection of guest speakers and discussion topics. TI-Georgia dealt successfully with this problem by seeking subscribe from other NGOs and putting pressure on the ministry as a collective force. The ministry asked TI not to bring revolutionary activists into schools as guest speakers, at one point going so far as to ask that the project be called off.In addition, they communicate that they be informed of the essay topics before staging the contest. Fortunately, TI-Georgia did not make any concessions in these cases, as it had the support of most school officials. The change in administration after the revoluti on allowed it to continue the second soma of our project without interference. Winning the interest of young people for this project was a central challenge. To this end, TI-Georgia used a few cay incentives, including contests and awards, the chance to have an essay published and reach the greater public, and the opportunity to meet major Georgian celebrities.Competitions are not typical in Georgian schools, and the prospect of a contest with awards and public exposure was enkindle and motivating for the students. The most difficult and time-consuming part of the project was negotiating with guest speakers and organising their visits. As mentioned before, the project coincided with Georgia’s Rose Revolution. This caused a great deal of scheduling difficulty, as most of the planned speakers were active participants in the revolution. In the end, though, TI Georgia successfully held 19 discussions with students in six Georgian regions.Recommendations approximately of the participants said that the contest was raise for them as a way of sharing their opinions, but some still doubted that their ideas would be taken seriously by adults. Therefore, it would be good to expand the scattering of the winning essays, not just to newspapers and websites, but to television stations, receiving set and other schools. The essays could also be publicly 52 | GEORGIA presented to high-level officials who would then answer directly to the students.There are plans for experience projects, specifically to expand the programme to other schools and to first-year university students. Project description by: Lana Ghvinjilia For additive information, please contact: enhancer International Georgia at [email protected] ge The best essays can be read on the website of Transparency International Georgia in position and Georgian language. Address: Transparency International Georgia 18, Rustaveli Ave 0108, Tbilisi Georgia Tel: +995-32-996 615 Fax: +995-32-997 292 el ectronic mail: [email protected] ge Website: www. transparency. ge\r\n'