Study and education in Georgia. Breaking myths about studying abroad

Capital: Tbilisi
Official language: Georgian
Square: 69.7 thousand km², ranks 118th in the world
Population: 3.7 million people
Density: 65 people/km²
Largest river: Kura
Neighboring countries: Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Türkiye
Currency: Georgian lari
Dialing code: (+995)
Internet domains:.ge

Education in Georgia

Georgia is a country located on the Black Sea coast, rich in resorts and sanatoriums, tourist places and attractions, but few people know that Georgia is also great opportunity get high quality higher education. Today, many foreign students study in Georgia, coming from both the CIS countries and Europe. So why should you pay attention to Georgia as a promising country for obtaining higher education at the European level?

Georgia officially joined Bologna process, which makes it part of the single educational space of Europe. This factor is one of the reasons why this country very attractive for foreign applicants. The top three prestigious Georgian universities include Tbilisi State University, Ilia State University and Tbilisi Independent University. These universities are an excellent “airfield” that will allow applicants to reach incredible heights in their careers.

Even though higher education in Georgia can be obtained at on a paid basis, its cost is relatively low compared to others European countries. This makes studying at a university accessible to every student, even with very limited financial resources. The teaching staff at universities shines with professional personnel, world-famous professors and scientists in scientific circles. Education in Georgia for foreigners is maximally aimed at comfort, therefore, comfortable and well-equipped campuses have been built on the territories of universities, facilitating effective and fruitful study and rational spending of free time. Here students will find at their disposal scientific and experimental laboratories, computer classes, various clubs and sections, as well as equipped gyms and stadiums, in a word, everything to maximize the efficiency of both the educational process and leisure time.

Advantages of higher education in Georgia:
Having decided to receive higher education in Georgia, you will come face to face with a lot of advantages, a small part of which are the following factors:

Cost of education. Of course, prices for higher education in Georgia are much lower compared to many other countries. This is where you can get a European-style diploma even without having a lot of money. financial means.
. In Georgia, you can get a first-class education that will help you become a highly paid specialist and have a great career in your chosen industry.
. Education at Georgian universities is conducted in different languages, including in Russian, which does everything educational process maximally adapted to the needs of foreign students.

It is worth summing up that education in Georgia, the price of which cannot but please any wallet, is an excellent chance to build the career of your dreams, being fully realized professionally!

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The "Higher Rhetorical School" - Colchis Academy - was founded. Education here was conducted in Georgian and Greek. Rhetoric, philosophy, physics, mathematics, and logic were studied at the academy.

Middle Ages

At the beginning of the 11th century, Georgia became a centralized state, which affected the development of crafts, trade and culture. The development of culture affected the development of education. Thus, founded in 1106 by King David IV the Builder, the Gelati Academy became one of the largest scientific and educational centers in the Middle East. Thinkers such as Ioane Petritsi and Ioane Shavsheli worked at the academy. They translated and created original works. The academy taught geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, philosophy, grammar, rhetoric and music.

The influence of the Western European education system and Byzantium on the school of medieval Georgia was quite strong. At the same time, schools used teaching aids, which reflected national traditions, features of history, language and culture.

19th century

In 1804, a school for noble children was opened in Tbilisi, which in 1830 was transformed into a gymnasium. It was the first official secular school, from which some came prominent figures new Georgian culture: Grigol Orbeliani, Dmitry Kipiani, Nikoloz Baratashvili. In 1850, a gymnasium opened in Kutaisi. At that time, there were boarding schools at both male and female gymnasiums.

In 1830, secular elementary schools were opened in seven counties of Georgia. For the training of clergy royal power created theological schools. In 1817, a theological seminary was opened in Tbilisi. Since 1818, theological district and parish schools began to open. The seminary accepted representatives of all classes.

In large populated areas Private schools began to appear, in which children from wealthy families studied. By the 1940s, there were few rural schools for the peasantry, especially in western Georgia. In 1860, there were 145 educational institutions of all types in Georgia, with 7,850 students.

XX century

In 1914-1915, 1765 secondary schools, of which 1,677 are primary, with 157,100 students and 5,858 teachers.

At the beginning of the century, the literacy rate among the population was 21.9%. By 1927 this figure had risen to 47.5%. Despite government actions aimed at increasing the number of literate citizens, illiteracy among the adult population was still high.

Modernity

Secondary education

Starts at age six. It has three levels: primary school (6 years), basic school (3 years), secondary school (3 years). Upon completion of basic school, students receive a certificate of basic education, and upon completion of the twelfth grade - a certificate of complete secondary education. A ten-point grading system has been adopted.

Compulsory subjects include chemistry, physics, biology, geography, history, Georgian language, literature, one of the foreign languages ​​and mathematics.

Schools are governed by boards of trustees, which elect school directors based on nominations from the Ministry of Education and Science.

As of 2012, 92.1% of people aged 5 to 14 years attend educational institutions. For each teacher there are 14-16 students. Teachers' salaries depend on their experience and qualifications and are approximately equal to 137-200 US dollars.

Secondary specialized education

After 9th grade of school, you can enter the first level of secondary vocational education. After three steps to a diploma of secondary vocational education, a certificate of complete secondary education of vocational/technical level is issued high school, or a specialized high school.

Higher education

Higher education is paid. To enter a university, you must pass the Unified National Exam (UNE). This is an exam in 4 subjects: logical skills, Georgian language and literature, foreign language and an optional exam.

There are 4 levels of higher education:

• Certified specialist (first stage bachelor)
• Bachelor
• Master
• Doctoral student

A 100% (point) and letter grading system (from A to F) is used.

There are three types of higher education degrees: university, master's and college.

Language of instruction

According to Georgian legislation, the language of instruction in general education institutions is Georgian, and in Abkhazia, which is not controlled by the Georgian authorities, it is Abkhazian and Georgian. Citizens of Georgia for whom Georgian is not their native language have the right to receive education in their native language in accordance with the curriculum. In specialized schools, whose activities are aimed at educating children with hearing and visual impairments, sign language and Braille are used, respectively.

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Notes

Literature

• Colchis Academy // Great Soviet Encyclopedia: [in 30 volumes] / ch. ed. A. M. Prokhorov
• Gelati Academy // Great Soviet Encyclopedia: [in 30 volumes] / ch. ed. A. M. Prokhorov. - 3rd ed. - M. : Soviet encyclopedia, 1969-1978.

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Excerpt characterizing Education in Georgia

“How sweet she will be,” Denisov said.
- Who?
“Athena Natasha,” answered Denisov.
“And how she dances, what a g”ation!” after a short silence, he said again.
- Who are you talking about?
“About your sister,” Denisov shouted angrily.
Rostov grinned.
– Mon cher comte; vous etes l"un de mes meilleurs ecoliers, il faut que vous dansiez,” said little Jogel, approaching Nikolai. “Voyez combien de jolies demoiselles.” [My dear Count, you are one of my best students. You need to dance. Look how much pretty girls!] – He made the same request to Denisov, also his former student.
“Non, mon cher, je fe"ai tapisse"ie, [No, my dear, I’ll sit by the wall," Denisov said. “Don’t you remember how badly I used your lessons?”
- Oh no! – Jogel said hastily consoling him. – You were just inattentive, but you had abilities, yes, you had abilities.
The newly introduced mazurka was played; Nikolai could not refuse Yogel and invited Sonya. Denisov sat down next to the old ladies and, leaning his elbows on his saber, stamping his beat, told something cheerfully and made the old ladies laugh, looking at the dancing young people. Yogel, in the first couple, danced with Natasha, his pride and best student. Gently, tenderly moving his feet in his shoes, Yogel was the first to fly across the hall with Natasha, who was timid, but diligently performing steps. Denisov did not take his eyes off her and tapped the beat with his saber, with an appearance that clearly said that he himself did not dance only because he did not want to, and not because he could not. In the middle of the figure, he called Rostov, who was passing by, to him.
“It’s not the same at all,” he said. - Is this a Polish mazurka? And she dances excellently. - Knowing that Denisov was even famous in Poland for his skill in dancing the Polish mazurka, Nikolai ran up to Natasha:
- Go and choose Denisov. Here he is dancing! Miracle! - he said.
When Natasha’s turn came again, she stood up and quickly fingering her shoes with bows, timidly, ran alone across the hall to the corner where Denisov was sitting. She saw that everyone was looking at her and waiting. Nikolai saw that Denisov and Natasha were arguing smiling, and that Denisov was refusing, but smiling joyfully. He ran up.
“Please, Vasily Dmitrich,” Natasha said, “let’s go, please.”
“Yes, that’s it, g’athena,” Denisov said.
“Well, that’s enough, Vasya,” said Nikolai.
“It’s like they’re trying to persuade Vaska the cat,” Denisov said jokingly.
“I’ll sing to you all evening,” said Natasha.
- The sorceress will do anything to me! - Denisov said and unfastened his saber. He came out from behind the chairs, firmly took his lady by the hand, raised his head and put his foot down, waiting for tact. Only on horseback and in the mazurka it was not visible short Denisov, and he seemed to be the same young man that he felt himself to be. Having waited for the beat, he glanced triumphantly and playfully at his lady from the side, suddenly tapped one of his feet and, like a ball, bounced elastically off the floor and flew along in a circle, dragging his lady with him. He silently flew halfway across the hall on one leg, and it seemed that he did not see the chairs standing in front of him and rushed straight towards them; but suddenly, clicking his spurs and spreading his legs, he stopped on his heels, stood there for a second, with the roar of spurs, knocked his feet in one place, quickly turned around and, clicking his right foot with his left foot, again flew in a circle. Natasha guessed what he intended to do, and, without knowing how, she followed him - surrendering herself to him. Now he circled her, now on his right, now on his left hand, now falling on his knees, he circled her around himself, and again he jumped up and ran forward with such swiftness, as if he intended to run across all the rooms without taking a breath; then suddenly he stopped again and again made a new and unexpected knee. When he, briskly spinning the lady in front of her place, snapped his spur, bowing before her, Natasha did not even curtsey for him. She stared at him in bewilderment, smiling as if she didn’t recognize him. - What is this? - she said.
Despite the fact that Yogel did not recognize this mazurka as real, everyone was delighted with Denisov’s skill, they began to constantly choose him, and the old people, smiling, began to talk about Poland and the good old days. Denisov, flushed from the mazurka and wiping himself with a handkerchief, sat down next to Natasha and did not leave her side throughout the entire ball.

For two days after this, Rostov did not see Dolokhov with his people and did not find him at home; on the third day he received a note from him. “Since I no longer intend to visit your house for reasons known to you and am going to the army, this evening I am giving my friends a farewell party - come to the English hotel.” Rostov, at 10 o'clock, from the theater, where he was with his family and Denisov, arrived at the English hotel on the appointed day. He was immediately taken to the best room of the hotel, occupied for that night by Dolokhov. About twenty people crowded around the table, in front of which Dolokhov was sitting between two candles. There was gold and banknotes on the table, and Dolokhov was throwing a bank. After Sonya's proposal and refusal, Nikolai had not yet seen him and was confused at the thought of how they would meet.
Dolokhov’s bright, cold gaze met Rostov at the door, as if he had been waiting for him for a long time.
“Long time no see,” he said, “thanks for coming.” I’ll just get home and Ilyushka will appear with the choir.
“I came to see you,” Rostov said, blushing.
Dolokhov did not answer him. “You can bet,” he said.
Rostov remembered at that moment a strange conversation that he once had with Dolokhov. “Only fools can play for luck,” Dolokhov said then.
– Or are you afraid to play with me? - Dolokhov said now, as if he had guessed Rostov’s thought, and smiled. Because of his smile, Rostov saw in him the mood of spirit that he had during dinner at the club and in general at those times when, as if bored with daily life, Dolokhov felt the need to get out of it with some strange, mostly cruel, act .
Rostov felt awkward; he searched and did not find a joke in his mind that would respond to Dolokhov’s words. But before he could do this, Dolokhov, looking straight into Rostov’s face, slowly and deliberately, so that everyone could hear, said to him:
– Do you remember we talked about the game... a fool who wants to play for luck; I probably should play, but I want to try.
“Try for luck, or perhaps?” thought Rostov.
“And it’s better not to play,” he added, and cracking the torn deck, he added: “Bank, gentlemen!”
Moving the money forward, Dolokhov prepared to throw. Rostov sat down next to him and did not play at first. Dolokhov glanced at him.
- Why don’t you play? - said Dolokhov. And strangely, Nikolai felt the need to take a card, put a small jackpot on it and start the game.
“I have no money with me,” said Rostov.
- I’ll believe it!
Rostov bet 5 rubles on the card and lost, bet again and lost again. Dolokhov killed, that is, he won ten cards in a row from Rostov.
“Gentlemen,” he said, after spending some time, “please put money on the cards, otherwise I might get confused in the accounts.”
One player said he hoped he could be trusted.
– I can believe it, but I’m afraid of getting confused; “Please put money on the cards,” Dolokhov answered. “Don’t be shy, we’ll get even with you,” he added to Rostov.
The game continued: the footman, without ceasing, served champagne.
All Rostov's cards were broken, and up to 800 tons of rubles were written on him. He was about to write 800 thousand rubles on one card, but while he was being served champagne, he changed his mind and wrote the usual jackpot again, twenty rubles.
“Leave it,” said Dolokhov, although he did not seem to look at Rostov, “you’ll get even sooner.” I give to others, but I beat you. Or are you afraid of me? - he repeated.
Rostov obeyed, left the written 800 and placed the seven of hearts with a torn off corner, which he picked up from the ground. He remembered her well afterwards. He placed the seven of hearts, writing 800 above it with a broken piece of chalk, in round, straight numbers; drank the served glass of warmed champagne, smiled at Dolokhov’s words, and with bated breath, waiting for the seven, began to look at Dolokhov’s hands holding the deck. Winning or losing this seven of hearts meant a lot for Rostov. On Sunday on last week Count Ilya Andreich gave his son 2,000 rubles, and he, who never liked to talk about financial difficulties, told him that this money was the last until May, and that is why he asked his son to be more economical this time. Nikolai said that this was too much for him, and that he gave his word of honor not to take more money until spring. Now 1,200 rubles of this money remained. Therefore, the seven of hearts meant not only a loss of 1,600 rubles, but also the need to change this word. With a sinking heart, he looked at Dolokhov’s hands and thought: “Well, quickly, give me this card, and I’ll take my cap, go home to dinner with Denisov, Natasha and Sonya, and I’ll certainly never have a card in my hands.” At this moment home life his jokes with Petya, conversations with Sonya, duets with Natasha, a picket with his father, and even a calm bed in the Cook's house, presented themselves to him with such strength, clarity and charm, as if all this was long past, lost and unappreciated happiness. He could not allow that a stupid accident, forcing the seven to lie first on the right than on the left, could deprive him of all this newly understood, newly illuminated happiness and plunge him into the abyss of an as yet untested and uncertain misfortune. This could not be, but he still waited with bated breath for the movement of Dolokhov’s hands. These broad-boned, reddish hands, with hair visible from under their shirts, put down a deck of cards and took hold of the glass and pipe being served.

In 2006, Georgia signed the Bologna Agreement. The education system in the country has become consistent with the pan-European one; it provides training at bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels. In Georgia, obtaining master's and doctoral degrees depends on the desire of the students.

You can get higher education in Georgia not only in the Georgian language. Russian, English, French and German sectors are open for foreign students in the country at leading universities in Georgia. different directions— medicine, law, economics, business, philology.

The price of studying at universities in Georgia ranges from 2250 lari (up to 1 thousand dollars) to more than 20 thousand lari (about 3400 dollars) per year.

As a rule, get medical education in other countries it is much more expensive than in Georgia. That is why every year this area is the most popular among foreign students.

How can a foreigner enter a university in Georgia?

For foreign applicants for admission to higher education educational institution in Georgia you just need to provide a certificate of complete secondary education. They do not need to take the Unified National Examinations, but will have to pay the full amount for university education. If they wish to receive a state grant, they will have to pass the Unified National Examination under the program school education in Georgia. If they pass the exams successfully, they can receive 100% funding.

Georgian universities with Russian faculties

The list of universities where you can study in Russian is small.

At Tbilisi State University named after I. Javakhishvili, the Russian sector is open in such areas as Caucasian studies, Russian philology, journalism and mass communication.

Georgian technical university offers the following Russian-language programs: construction of water supply and drainage systems, energy and electrical engineering, telecommunications, oil and gas technologies, mining and oil and gas engineering, architecture, business administration, international relations, journalism, computer science, computer modeling, systems and networks, engineering physics.

Tbilisi Humanitarian Educational University offers only two Russian-language courses: business organization and management and dentistry.

Tbilisi Medical Educational University "Hippocrates" offers Russian-speaking students an educational program for a certified physician and an educational program for a certified dentist.

State program for national minorities

For representatives of ethnic minorities who are citizens of Georgia but do not speak Georgian, the National Center for Examinations and Assessments translates examination tests. To enter a university, they can take exams in Azerbaijani, Armenian or Russian. They will only have to take the exam in Georgian Georgian language and literature.

In addition, the state gives them the opportunity to successful completion skills exam in your native language, enter a higher educational institution and after completing a one-year intensive course to study the Georgian language, and then continue their studies at any faculty of their choice.

Foreign students in Georgia

According to the National Statistics Service "Sakstat" (Gruzstat), 8 thousand 12 foreign students study in public and private universities in Georgia in 2016-2017. Compared to previous academic year their number increased by 1,369 people.

The majority of foreign students (4 thousand 599) study at private universities. These are mainly citizens of Azerbaijan (2 thousand 93 people).

As for public universities, the majority of students here are from India (1,389 people).

Of the international students, 3,611 are undergraduate students, and 4,401 are graduate, residency, or certified veterinarian programs.

Most of the undergraduate students (2,235 students) chose social sciences, business and law, and the majority of students in the master's, residency or DVM program (4,232) chose health and human services.

Even people from countries such as China, the USA, Canada, Germany, Russia, Israel, Great Britain, France, Spain and others come to study in Georgia.

And, and. And today we are going to Georgia, where Alina Luneva, mother of seven-year-old Oscar, lives.

My name is Alina Luneva. My son Oscar is seven years old. We live in Georgia, in Tbilisi.

What types of schools are there?

Schools in Georgia are very different. There are public schools, in which the educational system is uniform at the state level, and there are many in which the educational system is unique for each school. Public schools in Georgia are overcrowded, with classes of 30-40 people, and children study in several shifts. It's a little easier with private ones. There less people In the classroom, there is always an after-school program, children wear a uniform. Oscar is in second grade at a private Georgian school. Georgian - that is, training is conducted in Georgian. Before school, my son attended a Russian kindergarten.

There are many Russian kindergartens in Tbilisi; they are in demand not only by Russian-speaking residents of the city, but also by indigenous residents. For example, in my son’s group, 80% of the children were Georgians. Parents send them to Russian kindergartens so that their children can speak Russian.

The academic year begins in mid-September and ends in mid-July. Vacations are a week in the fall, around mid-November, a week in the spring, in March, they coincide with Georgian Mother's Day, and March 8th. Winter holidays are long - 2.5 weeks. Summer - the usual, as in Russia, 3 months.

Daily routine at a Georgian school

School starts at 9 am, the school day ends at 17:30-18:00. There are 18 children in my son's class. Usually the children have 5-6 lessons, each lasting 35 minutes. The curriculum includes Georgian language, mathematics, and German languages, physical education, dance, music, choir, drawing and art classes.

At 12:00 there is second breakfast at school, and at 14:30 there is lunch. For breakfast, children are offered water and some kind of pastry - lobiani, khachapuri or a bun. Lunch is set: there is always soup and a main course. Common children's food with a Georgian twist: e.g. gupta (Georgian meatballs), chikhirtma (Georgian chicken soup), kharcho. After lunch, the children walk a little in the yard and return to class to do homework. You can pick up your child earlier, but then you will have to take the task with you and do it at home. I usually pick up my son at 16:30, by which time the homework is already done. Around 17:00 they go out for a walk again if the weather is good.

Children do their homework at school. Every day except Friday. On Friday we pick up books and notebooks from school and do our homework at home. The tasks are feasible, their volume is the same, there is no such thing that you need to spend half a day to complete. Maximum one and a half hours. My son usually makes 80% of them himself. I explain some tasks, supervise how he completes tasks in the Georgian language, together we translate and memorize words and phrases. We learn poetry together.

How does adaptation work?

The entire staff of the elementary school helped the child: the class supervisor, the teachers, and the deputy director. They showed patience, explained, and made allowance for the fact that my son did not speak Georgian from the very beginning. They shared with me and asked for support in a situation when. But that was really rare.

My son is hyperactive and very cheerful, so sometimes he gets too playful and gets out of control. Once I was rude to a teacher and had a fight with a classmate. The teacher talked to me at the moment when I was picking up the child from school, described the situation, and we talked it over together with the teacher and my son. The question was settled.

During the first months of first grade, it was difficult for my son to sit in class; he went out into the corridor and walked. The deputy director used this situation to show him the school, the library, and communicated. So the son unobtrusively got used to the school environment.

Parents at school have the opportunity to speak with the school psychologist. Before the start of training, at an introductory meeting, the psychologist gave a general lecture to all parents. She talked about how this could manifest itself, and gave instructions on how to behave with children. I myself was internally preparing for the start of school, reading, talking with other parents.

School traditions

Our parents are not very involved in extracurricular activities. We are invited to attend events, but not organize them. In the first grade there was an acquaintance meeting, where each mother and her child could show something that they do together, or somehow express themselves, for example, sing or dance together. There was an event like “Merry Starts”, fairs are held, but there are no joint excursions. Children go on excursions with teachers. The main meeting place for parents is children's birthdays, which are usually held in special children's holiday centers. My favorite event is the school charity fair. The children themselves sell the crafts they made in art lessons.

The main differences of the Georgian school

There is less stress, more loyalty to children, a flexible approach. Not all have teachers, of course, but still. For example, Oscar took a long time to get used to school. Already in the second half of the year, I learned from the art teacher that for the first two weeks he did not want to sit at his desk, he walked around the class, and slept at the table. However, the child was given time to get used to it without repression and without the involvement of parents. Moreover, having seen Oscar, the teacher does not require him to complete program assignments, but lets him do other things in art lessons, guides his development, but without the desire to equalize.

And in Georgia there are no endless parent-teacher conferences. Parents' meeting - once every six months. Other issues are resolved through the Facebook group. If you have a personal request, you can meet in person with the director or teacher and discuss it.

Specifically at our school, I like the humanitarian approach: the children learn many languages, develop creativity, the school has good clubs, so you don’t have to rush around the city with your child, transporting him from section to section. But there are also disadvantages. For example, I would like more clarity. However, in Georgia we want more clarity everywhere.

Photo: Africa Studio/Zaitsava Olga/unguryanu/ZouZou/holbox/Pressmaster/Shutterstock.com

In Ukraine, there is a fashion for Georgia - they study its examples, actively buy up cheap air tickets, and show miracles of “brotherly solidarity.” We often talk about the reform of law enforcement agencies, liberalization of the economy, but not about the education system in Georgia. This system is also not simple and deserves attention. We talked with an expert on this issue - Kakhaber Lomadze, the leader of the Student Youth Union of Georgia, which lobbies the public interest in education reform.

The path of reform and transformation

Our organization was founded in 2002, its founders are student associations of universities and colleges operating in our city. The main area of ​​activity at first was protecting the rights of students. So even then we were dealing with the problems of education (mainly secondary and higher education). Now this is the main activity of the Student-Youth Council.

Now Ukraine is experiencing hard times– conversations about education and culture do not seem as relevant as war or providing for the army. How do you look at this problem? How did Georgia cope with this?

In Georgia in the 90s there was a similar situation - Civil war, conflicts with Abkhazia and Ossetia - we also had a time when education and culture were in the background. Unfortunately, this always happens when the situation in the country is tense. “When the guns speak, the muses are silent.” Georgia was able to cope only when the situation normalized; Unfortunately, there are no universal recipes.

Of course, at such a time it is impossible to divide problems into small and large. If you don’t pay attention to education and culture now, it will have an impact later. This happened in Georgia - there was a shortage of qualified personnel, because practically an entire generation did not have the opportunity to receive an education.

- Describe the main features modern system education in Georgia.

Georgia has come a rather long way of reforms and transformations. What I like is that there was no fear of experiments. Based on experience, changes were made again and again. The Ministry of Education was not afraid to listen to the opinions of experts and representatives of NGOs (non-governmental organizations - ed.) working in this area. At this stage, I would call the main features:

• emphasis on improving computer literacy in elementary school: all first-graders in Georgia receive special laptops;
• since 2013, students receive free textbooks, which are then returned to the school;
• Both secondary schools and universities are governed by an elected body (the Board of Trustees, which includes parents, teachers, high school students or students). The council has broad powers: appointment and dismissal of the school director/university rector, approval and control of the school/university budget.

Unfortunately, after 2010, the Ministry of Education regained the right to appoint school directors without the consent of the Board of Trustees and to dismiss its members without prior notice;

• a new school/university financing model is an individual financing system: money “follows” the student. So the budget of a school/university depends on the number of students. In relation to universities, this applies to applicants who have successfully passed the entrance exams and received funding from the state (grant). Schools with a small number of students (provincial or highland) receive an additional subsidy. In universities, of course, there is paid education.
• introduction of uniform entrance exams universities have eradicated corruption during admission. Exams are held on the same day unified program. They are conducted by a separate organization, independent from the Ministry of Education, the “National Examination Center”;
• improving teaching standards, retraining of personnel, certification of teachers - all this contributes not only to the improvement of the qualifications of the teaching staff, but also to the interest of teachers in it. The salary of the teaching staff is directly related to certification and obtaining an education license;
• universities in Georgia undergo mandatory certification, which takes into account not only the qualifications of lecturers, but also the area (the number of students depends on it), the presence of a library, modern material and technical base and even a sports ground;
• also, after the 2010 reform, a security system (mandatory) was organized in schools to maintain discipline of both students and teaching staff. Mandates are under the control of the Ministry of Education and report violations of the rules directly to the head in the Ministry;
• a lot has been done for students disabilities: schools began to be equipped with ramps, special toilets, and new-building schools with elevators. Inclusive education coordinators have started working.

The reform was practically carried out by civil society activists

- What world models did the reformers focus on when they built the education system?

I remember this question was asked to Alexander Lomaia, the minister under whom the reforms began. Unfortunately, I cannot give his entire answer, but the main thing is that Georgia did not try to blindly copy examples (even if they were successful), but took the best, taking into account the characteristics of the country. We can say that the education reform in Georgia is a synthesis of European and American models.

To what extent were students and civil society activists involved in choosing the path for the development of higher and secondary schools?

Students played an important role in the fact that the reform of universities in Georgia began at all. Various student associations actively opposed the corruption that dominated the institutions.

As for civil society activists, we can say that they practically carried out the reform. After the Rose Revolution, many NGO representatives began working in government agencies and became the authors of a number of reforms carried out in Georgia. It is good that the Ministry of Education did not oppose the recommendations submitted by members of the public.

I can say that our organization is at the moment is working on recommendations for non-formal education in secondary schools and is preparing to provide them - we have no problems with contacts: both in the schools themselves and in the Ministries.

It's hard to balance and not go into “ ideological education”

In Ukraine there are proposals to return fifteen-minute periods to schools “ Political information” to inform schoolchildren about the current political situation. How do you evaluate such an initiative?

I personally am categorically against it. For junior classes it will be incomprehensible (and unnecessary), and middle and high school students will be able to obtain the information themselves. In our age, when with the help of the Internet it is possible to quickly obtain information, conducting political classes is... a return to the dark past. Even if the proposal is accepted, what are the guarantees that it will not be “ideologically correct information”?

Should schools engage in patriotic education? How to find the line between “enlightenment” and “ideology”?

We have been arguing about this for a long time - it is difficult to balance on this fine line and not turn into “ideological education.” During Saakashvili’s presidency, there was an attempt to introduce the subject “Military-Patriotic Education” into the education system. It later transformed into “Civil Defense”. This subject includes issues such as road safety (for junior grades), emergency response natural disasters... That is, this is not aimed at fueling “love for the Motherland,” devotion to the Fatherland, desire to serve interests and readiness, even to the point of self-sacrifice, to defend it.

In 2004–2012 there were summer camps for schoolchildren (grades X-XII) called “Patriot”. The stated purpose was: "Propaganda healthy image life. Education of the Patriotic Spirit." Now these youth camps have been transformed into the “Camp of the Future”.

- What would you say about the religious component of education? Should there be some underlying “values”?

Oooh... religion is a rather complicated topic in Georgia. I'm not ready to answer this question.

Terni

- What kind of education would you like to get if you had a second chance?

I didn't even think about it. Probably, if I had a second chance, I would have paid more time and attention to obtaining education through informal methods. It’s good to have an academic education, but, based on my experience, there are areas in which you can get a better and higher quality education through trainings, seminars, and distance courses.

I'll share funny story from Crimea, from where she recently returned. At courses for school psychologists, experts from St. Petersburg talk about the main problems of modern Russian schools. They say the first problem is child suicide, the second is bullying of schoolchildren. Crimean psychologists became noisy and began to be indignant - they don’t have such problems. In response, the expert shook his head and said convincingly: “Nothing, you are now in Russia - they will be.” What are the main problems in modern Georgian schools? ;-)

This, of course, is not suicide and bullying - I hope it never will be ;-) But, of course, there are problems:

– school infrastructure. The vast majority of buildings require overhaul: no compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards. Although many schools have been built and renovated since the beginning of the reforms, this is only a drop in the ocean;

– the quality of education differs significantly between Tbilisi and rural regions of Georgia;

– average quality of teaching specific subjects at school. Teaching at stage primary education– Georgian, history – quite good, but natural sciences (biology, physics, chemistry) – worse. This is due to the lack of the required number of qualified teachers;

– due to the low quality of school education and high requirements for unified exams there is a large scale of private tutoring in Georgia;

– after the 2010 reform – loss complete independence schools;

– another problem is high (for Georgia) tuition fees: an applicant from a socially vulnerable family who has not received a state grant is left without access to higher education.

- Are there mechanisms for cooperation between the education system and the labor market? Business?

Unfortunately, there are no direct mechanisms, as if prescribed at the level of law. But the vast majority of universities themselves establish contacts with the business sector and provide students with the opportunity to undergo internships in their specialty and find employment. There are several private universities in Georgia (I don’t want to name them so as not to offend someone) whose graduates receive an almost 100% job guarantee.

The state, of course, is trying to make its contribution to promoting the employment of graduates; research is being conducted to determine the requirements of the labor market, round tables are held between representatives of universities and the business sector. There are several faculties (mostly technical), where studies are fully paid for by the state. IN lately There is already talk about introducing a law or legal act, which would oblige representatives of the business sector and public services to provide internship places.

What opportunities are there for Ukrainians to get an education in Georgia? What specialties would you recommend?

I know that quite a lot of students from different countries. Unfortunately, I don’t have data on exactly how many are from Ukraine, or at what faculties they study. According to research, student choice is mainly due to the fact that we have low fees, plus a high level of training. Studying at a medical university is traditionally popular - as of 2013, about 1,000 students from 27 countries studied here. The Faculty of Economics is also popular state university– in 2014, the number of foreign students almost doubled; The level of education at the Georgian Technical University is always high.

I think that applicants from Ukraine will be able to find a suitable university in Georgia, and not only state - we have many private universities with high level education.

Photo: social media, racurs.ua, gdb.rferl.org, 21region.org.

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