Corruption Mechanisms Discovered in 5 Schools of Tavush Region: Prosecutor's Office

Under the instruction of the Prosecutor General of Armenia, investigations into the potential use of corruption mechanisms related to labor relations in educational institutions, state governance, and local self-government bodies have been ongoing since last year.

In this context, the Tavush Regional Prosecutor's Office requested and received data from the Tavush Regional Administration regarding individuals appointed to educational support positions in public schools across the region to discuss filing a lawsuit for the protection of state interests, including the implementation of delegated powers and financial resources directed to educational institutions by the state.

The collected data was forwarded to the Tavush regional department of the Police of Armenia, with an instruction to conduct operational-investigative measures to verify whether the designated individuals had not attended work at all or partially, had not performed their duties properly, and to check the circumstances surrounding their remuneration.

As a result of comprehensive operational-investigative activities, information was obtained about public schools in the region, especially concerning educational support positions, specifically night guards, maintenance workers, cleaners, door attendants, caretakers, and even teachers and vice-principals, appointed from 2009 to 2019. It was confirmed that various individuals had not attended work at all or partially, and there were instances of issuing salary payments or other fees in their names, forged documents being used for this purpose.

In some cases, it was found that individuals were registered under temporary positions for the purpose of taking maternity and post-maternity leave, or in instances of being absent from the Republic altogether, were still able to withdraw salary payments without showing up for work or fulfilling their duties.

Under the proper supervision of the prosecutors managing the investigation, materials were prepared in the territorial subdivisions of the Police of Armenia, resulting in the initiation of four criminal cases concerning the discovery of such facts in five regional schools: particularly the schools in Ptghavank, Zorakan, Khachardzan, Azatamut, and the Dilijan Number 2 High School. These criminal cases were initiated under various parts of Article 179 and part 1 of Article 314 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia and were sent to the Tavush regional investigative department of the RA Investigative Committee for further investigation.

The initiation of a criminal case regarding evident abuses in the Khachardzan Secondary School was rejected on the grounds of expiration, considering that the former and current heads of the school regretted their actions, restored most of the damages caused, and committed to restoring the remainder.

The total damage caused to the state from all the mentioned abuses amounts to 22.7 million AMD. Investigations in the sector continue.