A resonance has erupted in Ukrainian social media following the release of an audio recording where a voice resembling that of the Director of the Ukrainian Center for Assessment of Education Quality (UZKO), Tatyana Vakulenko, allegedly uses profanity against an applicant. However, the head of the agency categorically denies the accusations, calling the recording a crude forgery.
The Forgery Version and the Goal of the Attack
Tatyana Vakulenko stated that the published fragment is the result of editing, created specifically to discredit her personally and the reputation of UZKO. According to the director, the real conversation was cut in such a way as to destroy her professional image and cause personal harm.
"This audio is crudely edited. I am convinced that the full version of the recording is in the possession of the person who introduced himself as Mr. Yegor and who probably distributed the crudely edited audio," Vakulenko noted.
Conflict Details: Why the Applicant Was Not Allowed to Take the Test
The scandal is based on the story of one applicant to whom the appeals commission refused registration for the National External Assessment (NMT) during the additional registration period. The girl claimed that she could not complete the procedure due to technical failures in the system.
However, a check of the UZKO service work logs showed a different picture: during the main registration, the applicant did not complete the registration. In particular, she did not upload the document on obtaining full general secondary education and did not send the documents for processing to the regional center.
According to the regulations, due to the lack of documents, the applicant's personal account was deleted. On June 2, the commission considered the submitted appeal and decided to refuse its satisfaction.
What Actually Happened: Threats and Correspondence
According to Vakulenko, after the official refusal, a man calling himself a representative of the applicant called her. The conversation lasted almost ten minutes. The interlocutor exerted pressure, insulted the director, and threatened to destroy her reputation, demanding her dismissal.
During the conversation, Vakulenko explained the reasons for the commission's decision and mentioned the correspondence of teenagers, which the applicant's lawyers attached to the case materials as evidence. It is from this correspondence, according to the director, that the profane words were taken, which in the edited audio are attempted to be attributed to her.
External Pressure and Reputation Protection
The Director of UZKO also revealed details of attempts to interfere with the process. After the refusal to the applicant, she was repeatedly asked to help change the decision. According to Vakulenko, at least five people, including one People's Deputy, turned to her with such requests.
She emphasized that decisions on participation in the NMT are made strictly in accordance with approved rules and cannot depend on personal connections or outside influence.
In response to the dissemination of compromising material, Tatyana Vakulenko has already turned to a lawyer and intends to defend her honor and dignity in court. In addition, she is filing a police report regarding the encroachment on her business reputation.