Professor Dismissed for Violating Language Law
A professor at the Odessa National Technological University has been dismissed for violating Ukraine's language legislation. The dismissal followed a student's complaint, which included copies of exam papers written in Russian as evidence. An internal university investigation confirmed the facts presented in the complaint.
The professor justified using Russian by citing computer problems and the need to distribute old exam tickets. He also stated he communicated in Russian because students addressed him in that language. However, despite these arguments, a protocol was drawn up for violating Article 21 of the language law, which designates the state language as the medium of instruction. The professor has now been dismissed.
Previous Language Law Violations
This is not the first such incident. Previously, a school director in the Kyiv region was dismissed for similar violations following complaints from students' parents. This enforcement is part of a broader national policy to strengthen the use of Ukrainian in public life, particularly in education.
Anna Nerush, a representative for language law compliance oversight, emphasized: 'We promptly initiated state control measures and sent a corresponding letter of demand to the university.'
This case underscores the critical importance of adhering to language norms in Ukraine's educational institutions.
The dismissal at Odessa National Technological University signals a tightening of enforcement regarding language legislation in Ukraine, especially within the educational sector. It serves as a warning to other institutions about the necessity of taking the use of the state language seriously to avoid similar repercussions in the future.
This recent dismissal highlights ongoing challenges within Ukrainian educational institutions regarding language compliance. In a related case, the Language Ombudsman found no violations at a school affiliated with the UOC MP monastery, illustrating the complexities of enforcement and varying outcomes across different settings. For more insights into the inspections and findings at that school, see the details of the inspections revealed.