Deputy Ministers of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, Tamar Kitiashvili and Ekaterine Dgebuadze held a meeting with representatives of resource centers.

One of the main issues discussed at the meeting was the innovations in vocational education. Representatives of the resource centers received information on the goals, approach and implementation of the integration of the general education component into vocational education.

Tamar Kitiashvili spoke to the audience about the new Law on Vocational Education, which provides students with basic education, the opportunity to receive vocational and general education in an integrated way.

This year, the vocational education system will receive students for the first time, who will be offered general education alongside their vocational training of preference. The Ministry of Education, with the support of UNDP, is completing a preparatory phase, which has been underway since 2016. Appropriate legislative and regulatory frameworks have been set up for the implementation of this initiative and the capacity building of educational institutions is being actively pursued.

After completing compulsory basic education (9 grades) in the last 15 years, individuals had two choices to pursue secondary education or vocational education of their preference only. Under the new Law on Vocational Education, such programs will last three years, with graduates earning diplomas equivalent to a full general education certificate.

Deputy Minister Tamar Kitiashvili explained to the audience, seven different colleges will start implementing integrated programs in spring 2020, and the scope for autumn admission will be expanded and will become systematic in the coming years.