Work Through Connections and Other Violations: Bolashaq Center Scandal

Reportedly, the Center for International Educational Programs "Bolashaq" illegally issued documents to participants. They were for the removal of real estate as collateral. The guarantors of a program participant have made such a claim. They say this happened back in 2019. Zhanbolat Meldeshov headed the center at that time. Orda has learned that he has a dubious reputation. 

Natalia Vorobyova and Makpal Daribayeva have found themselves in a difficult situation. They claim a certain Valeria Gavrilenko's property was illegally removed as collateral. They acted as guarantors for her. Gavrilenko is reportedly a graduate of the Bolashaq study abroad program. The president of Bolashak, Zhanbolat Meldeshov, signed the document.

The center, therefore, decided to collect the debt from Vorobyova and Daribayeva.

In 2016, my colleague and I acted as guarantors for our former colleague Valeria Gavrilenko, who successfully graduated from the Bolashaq program, and in 2019, colluding with the center's employees illegally removed her two apartments as collateral and quietly went to live in the UK. The center itself issued her an official document signed by the first head of Bolashaq, allowing her to withdraw real estate from collateral,
 Vorobyova said in a video message to the president.

Vorobyova claims that, in 2021, Bolashaq recognized its document as illegal, deprived Gavrilenko of her scholarship, and demanded reimbursement of tuition fees. As the former scholarship holder has not been in the country for some time, the center could not collect the debt from her. The amount is almost 30 million tenge. The guarantors were thus handed the bill.

In our case, it turns out that the center has secured collateral on its own, has been inactive for many years, and has not returned it in any way, but, taking advantage of the flexible terms of the guarantee agreements, has now decided to recover the total amount of damage from us, ordinary citizens who are not hiding from anyone anywhere! We are outraged by the inaction of the center, which has been going on for five years!
 said Vorobyova.

Aliya Ospanova, Chairman of the Management Board of the Center for International Programs JSC, could not provide explanations. In an interview with an Orda correspondent, she said she was abroad.

Meldeshov

Meldeshov headed the Center for International Programs JSC from 2016 to 2019.

A year after his appointment dismissed employees claimed that their former boss was hiring his acquaintances and treating subordinates rudely. They even posted a video online as proof. In it, Meldeshov speaks rudely not only to the staff but also to scholarship recipients.

Universities accept a sheep as long as it is paid for... Then, this sheep is kicked out. Then this sheep comes to us, and he has 48 million tenge to pay... Because of this, the program suffers, and the leadership of the republic is stressed

After a complaint, the Ministry of Education conducted an internal investigation and temporarily suspended Meldeshov. He still managed to keep his post but received a severe reprimand.

Original Author: Aliya Askarova

DISCLAIMER: This is a translated piece. The text has been modified, the content is the same. Please refer to the original article in Russian for accuracy.