New Education Strategy Prioritizes National Identity, Values, Patriotism and Family
On December 12, Minister of Education of Georgia Giorgi Amilakhvari, presented the ongoing reforms in the general education system and said that the government wants to bring up “genuine Georgians” instead of creating “new types of citizens”.
The Minister said that the renewed National Goals of General Education will ensure that the new generations of citizens will grow up on the principles of national identity, Georgian traditions, patriotism, family values, as well as Georgian culture, historical awareness and universal values. According to Minister Amilakhvari, this is the first time since the government last updated the general education goals in 2004, and the changes are expected to be finally approved in January next year.
The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, also spoke at the presentation event attended by the members of the government and Parliament, teachers, diplomatic corps, Georgian Patriarchate, and partner organizations. According to him, the education reforms of 2004 carried out under the then ruling United National Movement (UNM) party were aimed at “changing our national identity, our DNA, our Georgianness”. Prime Minister Garibashvili accused the UNM government of “destroying the [education] system” and trying to “mold a new Georgian”. According to the Prime Minister, the 2004 reforms were “an experiment on our youth.”
PM Garibashvili claimed that under the ruling Georgian Dream party significant progress has been made, but the challenges remain and the Education Minister Amilakhvari has a “well-thought-through vision” to address them.
The National Goals of General Education adopted in 2004 said that “the general education system in Georgia aims to create favorable conditions for the formation of a free personality, a bearer of national and general human values,” adding that “along with this, the education system develops the mental and physical skills of the adolescent, provides the necessary knowledge, establishes a healthy lifestyle, forms students’ civic awareness based on liberal and democratic values and helps them to understand their rights and duties towards the family, society and the state.”
Also Read:
- 07/12/2023 – CSOs Address Ministry of Education Amid Teachers’ Protest
- 20/03/2023 – Giorgi Amilakhvari Replaces Mikheil Chkhenkeli as Minister of Education and Science
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
