Some of Georgian universities switching to remote classes, service for coronavirus prevention
The start of academic year has been postponed in Georgia to April 1, with a number of universities switching to remote classes in the meanwhile. Photo via Ilia State University.
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Two of Georgia's major universities have switched to remote classes and services for their students as a measure for countering a coronavirus threat, with Ilia State University and University of Georgia announcing their decisions.
While the launch of academic year has been suspended countrywide until April 1, the two unversities also announced they will be switching to the remote teaching and administrative work after the date.
The University of Georgia said it would launch remote classes for master's, PhD and bachelor's level students and provide information on technical details in the near future. A release by the academic institution said it was working to ensure all classes are available digitally by the start of next month.
The Ilia State University announced its switch to remote administrative services including information release for students and teachers. Its venues were also expected to be closed until March 16 due to disinfection efforts.
The Tbilisi State University said it would make its announcement on remote classes by the end of the week, however presentations and material for classes were already uploaded to online platforms where they could be accessed remotely.
Georgian schools, universities and kindergartens will remain closed in Georgia until April 1 as a measure to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. The decision was taken by the Interagency Coordination Council’s meeting earlier today. Also, spring compulsory recruiting for compulsory military service has been postponed until April 13.
The government of Georgia has allocated 4 million GEL (1.4 million USD) to fund higher education for 1,600 Georgian students who live near the occupation lines with Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions, the Ministry of Education of Georgia has reported earlier today.
Over a thousand students living in the villages adjacent to the occupied territories of Georgia will receive scholarships from Georgia’s Ministry of Education for the academic year 2017-2018.
The World Bank is offering $102.7 million to support Georgia’s human capital by helping to enhance the quality of education, announces the World Bank.
De facto officials of the Russian occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia have announced that the Enguri Bridge crossing point, which connects the occupied region with the rest of the country, will close at 8 p.m. on March 14.
The Georgian government has announced that it is working in an emergency, round-the-clock regime after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak of China-born Covid-19 virus a pandemic.Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated earlier today that the emergency mode will help the state, which has 24 confirmed cases of the respiratory infection, to cope with the virus-related challenge more effectively.
The Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia recommends state agencies and private organisations to work remotely to avoid the spread of coronavirus in the country.
Georgian Government has urged citizens to avoid visits at public service halls, territorial offices and notary bureaus except in cases of extreme necessity for the next two weeks after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak of China-born Covid-19 virus a pandemic. The restriction may apply to gatherings of 100 people or more.
Domestic sporting competitions have been suspended in Georgia as a safety measure amid the global coronavirus outbreak, with international tournaments and matches either cancelled or going behind closed doors.
Three major clubbing venues in Tbilisi have temporarily shuttered their doors to ensure prevention of a spread of coronavirus infections at large gatherings, with Bassiani, Mtkvarze and Khidi announcing decisions to suspend events on calendar for the rest of the month.
The Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) will broadcast live lessons for school children starting March 30 amid the coronavirus outbreak in Georgia.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has praised the Georgian distant education system implemented a month ago as one of the best in the world amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Georgian education ministry's response to the coronavirus outbreak has been praised by in adapting to the pandemic.
The academic year will end on June 15 in Georgian schools, while twelfth grade and first grade students will have a different schedule with the academic year ending on May 20 and on May 27 respectively, said Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia at a presentation of the government’s anti-crisis plan for education earlier today.
UNICEF head to Georgia Ghassan Khalil has praised the reforms of the Georgian Education Ministry focused on the interests of children and youth in the field of education during the crisis caused by COVID-19.
A Georgian-language version of the Microsoft Teams is already accessible to 55,000 school teachers and 600,000 school children in Georgia. In collaboration with the Education Management Information System (EMIS), Microsoft Teams has been translated into the Georgian language, enabling school teachers to use learning tools online in their native language.
University applicants living in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions will be enrolled in universities without passing the Unified National Exams, reports the Georgian Ministry of Education.
All 668 university applicants living in Georgia's Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia have been enrolled in Abkhazian State University without exams, reports Abkhaz media outlets.
Georgian schools and universities will reopen on September 15, depending the epidemiological situation in the country. Head of the National Disease Control Centre (NCDC) Amiran Gamkrelidze stated that there will be safety measures for schools and universities in order to prevent the risk of spreading virus.