Civil education pilot program introduced in Georgian schools

A select group of Georgian schools are introducing a new pilot program this year that aims to encourage personal development and identity.

A pilot of the new subject of civil education, named Society and Me, will be taught in a select group of schools in Tbilisi and in other regions of Georgia in the 2015-2016 school year, announced Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Education Lia Gigauri.

And looking ahead, the Government aimed to have the Society and Me program become mandatory at all public and private schools during the 2016-2017 school year and beyond.

"The main directions of this subject are personal development and identity,” Gigauri said.

Amendments to the current school syllabus had already entered the national curriculum and the changes were expected to be officially approved this spring.

The Deputy Minister said civil education was being prioritised in schools due to the country’s European orientation and community needs.

"For today, civil education is mandatory in the 9^thand 10^th grades, while for other grades the topics of civil education are integrated in different subject. However the quality of civil awareness is still low and teaching this subject from 9^th grade is too late,” she said.

"At this stage teaching of the Society and Me program will begin at 3^rd and 4^th grades. We will also continue to work on this project and teaching of the subject will continue in the 5^th, 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grades as well. Themes of the program are very diverse and this subject contributes to the personal development of the pupil.”