Gov’t presents education reform strategy
Government presented the new education reform strategy in Ikalto, where one of the first Georgian academies was built in the 11th century. Photo: Education Ministry press office.
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Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze and Education Minister Mikheil Batiashvili have presented a strategy for Georgian education reform today in Ikalto, in the Kakheti region of eastern Georgia, where one of the first Georgian academies was built in the 11th century.
The reform which will be implemented by the Education Ministry of Georgia includes the provision of new learning methods in Georgian public schools, particular support to pre-school and vocational education, changes in common national exams for higher education, modern infrastructure in education institutions and increased salaries for teachers.
PM Bakhtadze stated that new learning models will be initially implemented in 50 public schools and the number of such schools will increase to 2,000 by the year 2023.
The new model will be a merger of international experience with the Georgian reality and Georgian scientific and pedagogic experience,” Bakhtadze said.
We will also pay particular attention to pre-school education, which is the base for future and vocational education,” Bakhtadze said.
He said that the education reform will cover all five directions in Georgia: preschool, general, vocational, higher education and science.
PM Bakhtadze said that 10,000 teachers, teachers for children with special needs among them, will receive increased salaries in 2018-2019.
Salaries for teachers will increase three times by 2022,” Bakhtadze said.
Batiashvili stated that the average salary for teachers by 2022 will be 1,500 GEL, while teachers with higher qualification will receive 2,000 Gel.
All schools in Georgia should be of high standards. We should not have only several, fashionable and top quality schools,” Bakhtadze said.
Batiashvili announced that after a consultation with foreign experts a new model of general national exams will be established by 2020, referring to the exams for higher education.
The Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili announced at today’s governmental meeting that the government is taking steps to create a new model for vocation education which will be based on German, Austrian and Swiss experience in the field.
Kvirikashvili spoke about the changes which will be carried out.
The Prime Minister of Georgia has today revealed a plan of the Vocational Education reform, stressing the plan would provide an "absolutely different learning model” in the country.
The candidate for education minister Mikheil Batiashvili told lawmakers today that he will work to bring the Georgian education ministry in line with European standards and almost all education programmes should be offered to foreign students.
President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili signed off today on proposed changes to the Law of Georgia on General Education.
Georgian Technical University has opened a technical training centre today to improve vocational education through offering modern and labour-market oriented professional programmes for students.
The Georgian Ministry of Education and the National Communications Commission are implementing five new projects in 2019 to help students develop technology skills.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze stated today that he does not want to see only elite schools in Georgia providing high quality education. Speaking at the summerising meeting of the Georgian ediucation reform, Bakhtadze said that all Georgian schools should be able to provide quality education.
The Georgian government has taken on responsibility to provide “unprecedented support” for education in the country and invest one-fourth of the state budget for educational goals, Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze stated earlier today during the presentation of the government initiative: Education - Way to Freedom.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has explained at a special briefing earlier today how the government intends to spent one fourth of the state budget on educational purposes.
Academia Europaea, a European non-governmental association acting as an academy to promote learning, education and research from 1988, has opened a regional centre at Tbilisi State University today.
Diplomas issued by Georgian higher education institutions will be recognised and valid in Europe, Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has stated today at an event dedicated to Georgia’s membership in the European Association for Quality Education and Higher Education (ENQA).
Georgian Education Minister Mikheil Batiashvili has stated that the salaries of senior, leader or mentor teachers will increase from September 2019, while the teachers in their pension age will be able to receive two–year salary in advance, if they decide to leave.
About 6,000 teachers of retirement age have taken redundancy in exchange for two years salary in advance, announces the Ministry of Education.
A Ministry of Culture, independent of the current Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, may be formed starting in 2020. The ruling party legislator Nukri Kantaria told InterPressNews agency that the changes are expected in coming months, supposedly in January.
The Ministry of Culture of Georgia will again become a separate body and it will be detached from the current Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Georgia, Deputy Head of Parliament’s Education Committee Nukri Kantaria says. Kantaria told IPN earlier today the decision to merge the ministries of education and culture back in 2018 under Mamuka Bakhtadze’s premiership was “a mistake.”
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has stated that all technical work has been completed to separate the Ministries of Education and Culture.