Salome Kilasonia
Successful people are expected to become the members of their schools after President’s message. President named Minister Shashiki’s new project “ALUMNI” as the best indicator to identify the number of successful graduates who express their gratitude to their schools. The leader of the country asked officials, who think that schools took part in their success to help their schools with 50GEL, in the case they have salary under 1000 Gel and 100 GEL up 1000 GEL. President showed the example himself and transferred his salary to his first experimental and #51th schools. The sum will be distributed to the teachers as well as for the school development.
The Alumni project, which means school voluntary assistance by former students, will be introduced to higher institutions as well. The innovation was voiced by the Minister, he announced his wish to become the first member of the club of university graduates. These kind of projects are productively used in civilized countries to express gratitude not only to schools, but also to universities. The university graduates have established the special Alumni fund. The students without material opportunities are financed to study by this fund.
The institute of Alumni, which is developed in USA is built on the concept of American dream, on the people, who studied, worked and had achievements by this way. The main aim of creating such clubs is to persuade children by real examples and meetings with famous people that achieving goals is possible only by working and studying.
By Minister’s announcement, the main aim of establishing Alumni project is to involve the public in the working process: in Georgian, Alumni project means the club of graduates. This project works effectively in Western European countries as well as in USA. Almost certainly each person has his most emotional memories with school, the formulation of the child as a person happens at school. The school gives children the education, which helps them to achieve success. So exchanging opinions and taking participations in school life is very important for the future generation.
I underline, that material component is not the leading in this project. The main ides is to speak with the children about vital experiences. The Alumni club means two coincided components – desire and opportunity. When I was a schoolchild, I wanted to have the similar modern classroom and to study in the similar conditions as I saw them in European schools by tv. But it was impossible to think about such issues in 1990 years. I work from 17 years. After 11 years studying at school, 11 years I worked at the American Corporation, generally abroad. I had financial opportunity to help my school. I fulfilled my dream, refitted my classroom, where I spent 11 years and presented it to the schoolchildren. The main was not the refitted classroom but the meeting with the children and sharing life experience. It follows, Alumni principle is meeting our children with the most successful people. All the time having examples of successful people is very important for formulating children’s right opinions, that only hard work can bring achievements in Georgia. Bankers, painters, singers, or people working in private sector can become the members of the club. They have to decide the way of school support. They can help the schools to solve financial problems, or present it with books and etc. Everyone can become the member of the club and it is voluntary. People who have not graduated school in Georgia, can also join the club. School management will inform them about school problems and begin work together after joining the club. The participants of the club and the school management will jointly decide the form of involvement in the project.
The ministry of education and science supposes the project will achieve popularity in Georgia. The society met the project positively after presentation: the project is positively evaluated. Many people wished to support their schools, but because the absence of such mechanism, they could not do this. “ The support of successful people makes the project workable, it will definitely become popular” – the ministry considers.
Finally, different foreign language courses and vocational educations existed in Georgia. The president wishes to restore such schools, including mathematical-physical school of Komarov, which is on the balance of the ministry of health nowadays. Representatives of the ministry of education and science expect graduated people of such schools to become the members of the Alumni club and support their schools.