2020-05-15
The topic of our conversation and discussion today is the Anti-Crisis Plan and program in the field of education. As you know, we have already presented to the public the Anti-Crisis Plan in the fields of tourism and agriculture, and we have announced our priorities. Despite our plans, COVID-19 is the biggest challenge for us as well as the public. As of today, the number of infected people has increased by 19 in the last 24 hours. This serves as another reminder that the global pandemic is no one- or two-day challenge - this is a challenge with which we will have to coexist for some months, at the very least. Naturally, all of this applies to the field of education as well. We took the necessary steps in the field of education in order to reduce the number of infected persons very early on; consequently, the education process was suspended in schools from the 4th of March. This was critically important in order to decrease the number of infections not only in the field of education but also within the public as a whole. Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia made this statement during the presentation of the Anti-Crisis Plan on Education.
According to the head of the government, the education system has been able to mobilize rapidly and introduce remote learning online.
"This yielded results. Even though there are people in Georgia who do not have easy access to the Internet, the Ministry of Education resolved this problem as well and, together with the Public Broadcaster, created the Teleschool (Teleskola) format, which became internationally renowned in addition to being popular in Georgia. This is the format that is also being broadcast in the languages used by ethnic minorities, thus providing every single pupil in Georgia with the opportunity to keep up with the academic year. The fact that the 2019-2020 academic years were not suspended in Georgia is a result of these steps. Our school year was held remotely, via the online Teleschool, in the usual manner; 12th graders will finish the school year on the 20th of May, while first graders will finish on the 27th of May, and the rest of the pupils will finish on the 15th of June. The National Exams will be held as per usual and the corresponding dates will be announced in June," the prime minister noted.
Giorgi Gakharia also stated that this achievement has already yielded results in the education system; however, this was merely the first response to the education crisis. According to the prime minister, the reform of the education system remains a priority for the Government of Georgia that must be concluded successfully.
"This is an achievement has already yielded visible results in the education system. However, this is merely the first response and reaction to the education crisis; these were anti-crisis actions for our education. As you know, education has been the top priority for the Government of Georgia in recent years. The systemic reform of the education system has begun and is ongoing; our aim is to ensure that nothing threatens this reform and that it continues despite the global pandemic. It will acquire new, additional emphases that will be focused on remote learning and various forms of teaching, but the reform of the education system will remain a priority for the Government of Georgia. So far, no one knows exactly what the post-pandemic world will look like but it is clear that global competition will be more intense and we must do all we can to ensure that our young people, children, school pupils, and students are prepared to take their place in the global competition. This is our future and we must all understand that today, human, as well as financial resources must be fully mobilized in order for the systemic reform of education to be concluded successfully," Giorgi Gakharia stated.
Press Service of the Government Administration