Owing to the decision of the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Giorgi Amilakhvari, the Law of Georgia "On General Education" is amended, according to which, in the 2023-2024 school year, children who will be 6 years old before November 1 will be able to register in the first grade. 

The basis of the said decision was a number of statements of citizens, who demanded to revise the regulatory norm of the age of starting education at the primary level in Georgia. The request of parents of children under 6 years of age to make an exception is especially high for children born in the month of October for enrolment in both public and private schools. 

It should be emphasized that with the adoption of the draft law, taking into account the readiness of the child and their best interests, children born from the day after the beginning of the school year until November 1 will have the right to choose either to continue receiving preschool education and education services by enrolling in the school readiness program, or to register as a first grader. 

According to the information provided by the State Services Development Agency of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, the number of children born before November 1, according to each municipality across Georgia, does not create an insurmountable resistance, the request of parents regarding the enrolment of their children in the first grade should be taken into account. If the parent/legal representative wishes, it is advisable to additionally admit children born before November 1 to the primary level. 

The Parliament of Georgia will consider the draft law in an accelerated manner, because the electronic registration of first graders for the 2023-2024 academic year was carried out from March 6, 2023 to March 20, 2023 and was available only to those children of the first grade who will be 6 years old by October 1, 2023. After the change, children born before November 1 will be given the opportunity to register additionally and will have the opportunity to enroll in the first grade. 

It should be noted that the second stage of registration will be possible from May 2 to May 15, and those children who: 

a) Siblings also study in the desired school; 

b) the parent/guardian/guardian is an employee of the desired public school; 

c) Two or more children from the family enter the first grade at the same time. 

In the second stage, registration is carried out in public schools based on the submission of the necessary documentation for enrolment by the parent/legal representative. Registration is provided by the public school. 

Stage III – general registration will start from May 17 and will continue until June 9. 

Registration will be done on the official website of the Education Management Information System registration.emis.ge. Registration is provided by the parent/legal guardian. 

As for the IV stage, registration will be carried out in schools from June 28 to July 12. At this stage, students who failed to register in stages I, II and III will be registered on the remaining free seats or on the seats vacated in the previous stages. 

According to the current law, the academic year in all general educational institutions of Georgia begins on September 15. If September 15th falls on a holiday or holiday, classes will begin on the next first business day.