Public school in Black Sea city of Batumi opens classes in Ukrainian to welcome stranded students

Up to 100 students have already expressed interest to join the classes in the school, where services for education, upbringing, medical and psychological needs of Georgian and Ukrainian students are offered in a “safe and positive learning environment,” the Ministry said. Photo: Georgian Education Ministry

Agenda.ge, 18 May 2022 - 12:01, Tbilisi,Georgia

Ukrainian students stranded in Georgia by the outbreak of the war in their country can now join classes in their native language at Public School No. 20 in the Black Sea city of Batumi, the Education Ministry announced on Wednesday. 

The opening of the classes follows a similar launch in capital Tbilisi that has taken place since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, to allow Ukrainian students who were staying in Georgia at the time the conflict broke out to receive general education in their native language.

Those joining the school will study based on the curriculum they used in their country, Georgia’s Education Minister Mikheil Chkhenkeli said at the opening of the classes. 

Students of the Ukrainian-speaking sector will study from the same textbooks they used to study in Ukraine. It is important that each student is already provided with textbooks for the relevant subjects,” Chkhenkeli said.

The opening event was also attended by Andriy Kasyanov, the Chargé d'Affaires of Ukraine in Georgia, who called the initiation a “unique opportunity” for Ukrainian children to better integrate with the “friendly Georgian society” and receive general education.

He thanked Chkhenkeli and Prime Minister Garibashvili for their support of the Ukrainian students through the initiative, noting it “once again” proved the Georgian Government stood by the Ukrainian people in the difficult times and helped the country “as much as possible” in the face of Russian military aggression.

Photo: Georgian Education Ministry

Up to 100 students have already expressed interest to join the classes in the school, where services for education, upbringing, medical and psychological needs of Georgian and Ukrainian students are offered in a “safe and positive learning environment,” the Ministry said.

The state body also noted students from first to fourth grades would be able to study in the Ukrainian-language classes until the end of the current academic year, while starting in September, students of all grades would be welcomed.

It also said all Ukrainian teachers leading the newly opened classes had arrived in Georgia from Ukraine after the launch of hostilities in their country.

In Tbilisi, Ukrainian-language classes were launched at the Mykhailo Hrushevsky No. 41 Public School in April, with more than 300 students joining.

Additionally, over 800 Ukrainian students of various age groups have been enrolled in schools across the country with a “simplified procedure,” without requirements of documentation.