Georgian students studying abroad hold rally demanding mobility in Georgian universities without exams

350 Georgians studying in universities in Ukraine, Armenia and several other countries have been holding a rally at the Georgia’s Ministry of Education since yesterday evening, demanding to be able to transfer to Georgian universities without exams.

The students entered university abroad in 2019 and now want to continue studying in Georgia.

A group of students have been protesting the decision of the Georgia’s Ministry of Education, according to which they have to pass the Unified National Examinations, the common national exams for higher education.

Starting from 2020, the General Abilities test has become optional and when we asked the Ministry to change it with another subject, they suggested a much more difficult exam in mathematics. The Deputy Minister Nunu   Mitskevich insulted us, saying that she cannot compare us to her own students… We will take extreme measures, we will continue the rallies”, said Sopo Posuri, the student from Kiev University.

Eka Rurua, the head of the Student Support Service Division of the Ministry of Education, said that ‘as the students are citizens of Georgia, Georgian legislation applies to them’ and  they have to pass the exam.

They have to pass one exam instead of four. We offered them to pass the exam in mathematics instead of general abilities (logic/mathematical abilities), but they refused”, said Rurua.

The Ministry of Education has confirmed today that  343 other applicants have already been registered for the General Abilities exam.