2019-05-10
"Education is a road to freedom! It is a road to a strong, united and democratic statehood, Europe, prosperity! It leads to the overcoming of even most difficult challenges that our country faces nowadays" announced Mamuka Bakhtadze, Prime Minister of Georgia at the launch of a seminar titled as Teacher - Companion Towards Europe".
In the opinion of the Head of Government of Georgia, education is the only right way forward and that is why it manifests itself as a national idea.
Prime Minister of Georgia stressed the need to further reward teachers and noted that a wide-scale reform of the education sector, which implies the investment of 6% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). i.e. quarter of the State Budget of Georgia towards this end inter alia envisages the increased remuneration of teachers.
"It is very hard for me to hear and see the statistical data evidencing that wages and salaries of teachers in Georgia are below the average payroll. It is a very grim occurrence. You may well be aware that my legislative initiative on the national idea has been submitted to the Parliament of Georgia. To reform the education system in the country, according to which 6% of GDP, i.e. quarter of the State Budget will always be invested in education. It will be an obligation for every successive government in the following dozens of years. Reform inter alia aims to reward teachers in the country and make the profession well-regarded. I strongly believe that any society or state that does not reward its teachers, will have no future in the 21st century and may even lose its past and values. Education is the national idea, around which every single citizen of Georgia should become united. Today I am honored to address the audience that has the best knowledge of education and its significance. They share my belief that success of Georgia rests in education" noted the Prime Minister of Georgia.
Head of Government of Georgia elaborated on the problems objectively existing in the education sector, which have been accumulated over years and thereby noted that every fault will be corrected with the announced wide-scale reform.
Prime Minister of Georgia also focused on the significance of the project titled as a Teacher - Companion Towards Europe and thanked the Information Centre of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) and European Union (EU) for organizing the seminar, along with the supporters of the project: Friedrich Ebert Foundation, National Centre of Professional Development of Teachers and Estonian Centre of Eastern Partnership.
"I see our success in education, when I refer to the European and Euro-Atlantic success of Georgia. Our European choice is not only the political choice. It is the civilizational choice, which is based on our values. Our nation made its contribution to the formation of European culture and civilization. That is why it is our civilizational choice. Project titled as a Teacher - Companion to Europe enables teachers in every region and Tbilisi to get comprehensive information on the history of EU, values of Europe, our cooperation, benefits expected from the European integration of Georgia. Seminar is held within the scope of Days of Europe and I believe that it is also a clear message to all" noted the Prime Minister of Georgia.
In the opinion of the Head of Government of Georgia, it is gratifying that teachers are planning to promote EU and European values in their extra-curricular classes and informal education project initiatives.
"This year another group of 10 teachers will visit Estonia with a study tour and get exposed to the reforms implemented in the education system of Estonia. One of the winners of this project - Lado Apkhazava - was awarded a national prize in teaching upon his return from Estonia in the previous round. This project will enable each of you to fully unfold your true potential. I believe that it will be a new and interesting professional challenge, which will be successfully used in raising our future generations" added the Prime Minister of Georgia when talking with teachers, thereby thanking them for the contribution made in upbringing the youth of the country.
Seminar titled as a Teacher - Companion Towards Europe is held within the scope of Days of Europe for the sixth time this year and gathers 150 school teachers from Tbilisi and regions.
Project envisages the promotion of European values throughout the entire year by engaging in various activities.
Head of Government of Georgia awarded prizes to 10 teachers today for designing and implementing the best projects in the past year.
Prime Minister's Press Office