Learning of Georgian Language will be enhanced at Non-Georgian Schools

Gvantsa Kilasonia

According to the poll conducted by the international organization “Gelap, up to 98% of the population supports the new program initiated by the President that envisages enhancement of the Georgian language in Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli regions. To facilitate an integration of the national minorities into a society, the Ministry implements several projects in 2010-2011 academic year. Furthermore, the Ministry starts to carry out more effective programs in this regard.

Facilitation of learning of Georgian language in the regions populated by the ethnic minorities is one of the priorities of the Georgian government. This is a major component in the process of their integration into a society. In this respect, the Ministry has developed a three -year strategic plan, implementation of the plan will start from June 1.

The following successful programs/ projects and initiatives have been implemented in 2010-2011 academic year:  more hours have been allocated in the national curriculum for learning of Georgian language; on the initiative of the President, national minority entrants pass general ability tests in their own native languages. For a year, the students take an intensive course in Georgian language, after that, they continue studies at the selected specialties. Currently, the Georgian government finances the studies of 400 non- Georgian students; previously only three students had opportunity to get a state scholarship.

“Teach for Georgia” program also operates in Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli regions, up to 100 teachers teach a state language to the students and their salary amounts to 1000 GEL a month. “Georgian Language Houses” have been established; 4 of them are already functioning in Samtskhe- Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli regions.

Z. Zhvania School of Public Administration delivers special educational language programs for the minorities that work as public servants in the regions of Samtskhe- Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli.

By the announcement of the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Dimitri Shashkini, “despite the achievements, more has to be done in this direction. That is why; the Ministry has developed a three year strategy plan that will be implemented gradually”.

The Ministry will finish the procedure of textbooks approval on June1.  After that, the textbooks will be translated bilingually in Armenian, Azeri and Russian Languages. In practice, it means that 30% of the content will be in Georgian language in Humanities as well as in Natural Science subjects. Non-Georgian schools will start applying the new bilingual textbooks from 2012.

Minister Shashkini:  “Our main goal is to enhance the learning of Georgian language; the current projects brought positive changes, though it is not enough. Therefore, we plan to introduce a bilingual learning method which has been already adopted in many countries of the world. All disciplines have special terminology. It is true that, the schoolchildren learn Georgian Language and Literature at schools, but the terms that are used in Physics, Chemistry, Biology cannot be found in the textbooks of the Georgian Language. Therefore, 30% of the content in these subjects will be in Georgian language as well. This will enrich the vocabulary of the schoolchildren and is very important”.   

In order to introduce bilingual learning at school, the non- Georgian teachers will be retrained free of charge.  8 more “Georgian Language Houses” will be opened to give opportunity to the teachers to pursue a special language program in Georgian Language. After passing this program, the teachers will take up a more intense language program at Z. Zhvania School of Public Administration. Those teachers who will apply the bilingual teaching methods in the learning process will be encouraged. They will get a 200 GEL surplus to their monthly salary. School principals and school personnel of non- Georgian schools will also have opportunity to undertake trainings.

It is known that the program of “Teach and Learn with Georgia” is being successfully implemented; English language native speaker volunteer  teachers teach English Language at schools of Georgia. Similar project will be carried out for non- Georgian schoolchildren in the regions of Samtskhe- Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli from the next year.  500 Georgian teachers will be placed at the schools in these regions. The state will cover the living cost of the participating teachers for a year as they will live in host families. The teachers will teach different subjects in Georgian language along with the local teachers and get 500 GEL a month.   

The holders of B.A as well as M.A and PH.D students are qualified to teach in these regions. The Ministry will provide assistance to the participants of the program in regard to waiving the tuition fees for M.A program students and transferring of the credits for the PH.D degree students.

Dimitri Shashkini: “Bilingual learning gives us opportunity to improve the level of learning of Georgian language. Without qualified teachers, one cannot master a language. Hence, it is important that the teachers who work in these schools be fluent in Georgian”.

Apart from the ongoing programs, new projects will be also implemented: bilingual preschool education centers will be formed, school exchange and twinning programs will start operating and different competitions as well as summer schools will be organized.