Georgian first graders to start school year in October

First grade students will start their first school year on October 4 in all cities and villages of Georgia where the Covid-19 infection rate is below 4%, announces the Ministry of Education of Georgia.

This decision applies only to public schools and is based on the pedagogical opinion that the first school experience of first graders should be conducted in a classroom environment, surrounded by classmates and teachers", reports the ministry.

Earlier it was announced that at least all public schools, universities and vocational education facilities around the country would offer online lessons between September 15 and October 4, while kindergartners, both public and private, would be closed. 

As for private schools, the ministry says that it is up to them to choose whether to start studies of first graders in a distance format on September 15, or from October 4 in classrooms.

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The ministry also announced that due to the improving epidemiological situation in Georgia, 'it is highly probable' that in most of the schools across the country, in-person studies will be restored from October 4.

Georgia has reported 2,571 new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours. 8.73% of tested individuals had Covid-19 in the past 14 days.