Mikheil Chkhenkeli, a candidate for the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, addressed the Parliamentary Committees on Education, Science, Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs and spoke about the large-scale infrastructural projects in Georgia.

According to Mikheil Chkhenkeli, one of the main priorities of the Ministry is the development of educational infrastructure. Accordingly, in 2020, the LEPL Educational and Scientific Infrastructure Development Agency, the Municipal Development Fund and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) completed the construction of 20 new public schools throughout Georgia. Additionally, about 800 schools had their bathrooms fully renovated and refurbished. In 2021, a total of 60 new schools will be added to the education system.

As for the infrastructure projects in the field of higher education, according to the Ministerial candidate, 2020 was indeed a special year. An international mega-project - Kutaisi International University was officially unveiled in October. A university of such magnitude and significance could not have existed in Georgia had it not been for an extremely important charity of one billion euros from Mr. Bidzina Ivanishvili and his family. Kutaisi International University is the first university campus-type higher education institution in the region and includes educational and administrative buildings, student dormitories, sports fields and recreational spaces. In addition, a Hadron therapy center will be established on a university premises. This project is also fully funded by the Cartu Foundation.

Furthermore, it is planned to conduct a complete renovation for the TSU second building, for which a sum of GEL 27 mln. was already allocated. The initial phase of reparatory works is already completed, but the major efforts will be carried out in 2021, to receive a fully modern university building in-line with international standards.

Furthermore, vocational schools were built and renovated in Kutaisi, Shuakhevi, Marneuli, Chokhatauri, Kaspi and Telavi this year. The process continues and by 2021, 11 more cities in Georgia will have newly built / renovated vocational schools.

Mikheil Chkhenkeli also spoke about the most important infrastructure projects in the field of culture. The ministerial candidate noted that Georgia is the only country in Europe where two new museums were opened during the Pandemic - the Vani Archaeological Museum of the National Museum of Georgia and the Bolnisi Regional Museum. The construction of the Mtskheta Archaeological Museum has also been completed. Moreover, various important buildings such as the National Academy of Arts, Musical Drama and Comedy theater are gradually coming to an end.

Significant steps were taken to renovate cultural heritage sites. In particular, 24 sites were renovated, conservation and archeological research works are currently in-progress on 55 monuments. In cooperation with the Cultural Heritage Agency, the Cartu Foundation carried out restoration works on 97 heritage monuments in total.

Mikheil Chkhenkeli singled out large-scale projects and events in the field of sports. The highest - 4th category football stadium of UEFA with a capacity of 20,000 spectators was solemnly opened in Batumi, which will host the final of the European Under-21 Football Championship in 2023. Also, the construction of a multifunctional sports complex in Batumi, which will serve up to 20 sports, will be completed soon. The construction of an international standard basketball hall for 10,000 spectators is being intensively carried out in Tbilisi. The new hall will host the 2022 European Basketball Championship.

According to the ministerial candidate, it is important to increase access to sports. For this purpose, in 2020, football centers, academies, football stadiums were built and renovated in Tbilisi and the regions. Owing to the generous contribution of Cartu Charitable Foundation, a construction of Zugdidi rugby base is in-progress.

In order to promote the development of winter sports, the arrangement-construction of ski bases and ropeways continues. Georgian renowned ski resorts in Bakuriani and Gudauri will host the 2023 World Championships in freestyle skiing and snowboarding as well as the European Youth Olympic Festival in 2025.

It is noteworthy that the Ministry has developed a strategy for access to and development of sports infrastructure for the next 10 years, within the framework of which international standard sports fields, stadiums, sports palaces, water complexes, tennis courts, ice halls, sports centers, sports centers, academies, sports centers, Construction of facilities will be gradually erected in the capital and throughout the regions of Georgia.