From February 15, students from all over the country will return to classrooms where a safe educational environment is provided for them. Ekaterine Dgebuadze, First Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia held a briefing on the mentioned topic at the Ministry and answered all  questions from the media.

Ekaterine Dgebuadze noted that the Ministry has already provided updated recommendations to the school administration of all general education institutions. The schools, in turn, provide information to the parents of the students about the establishment of the educational process, as well as about the sanitary-hygienic norms.

The First Deputy Minister highlighted the steps taken by the state to ensure a safe environment in schools and especially highlighted the decision of the Coordinating Council on the need for students of V-XII grades to wear facemasks on the school premises. According to Ekaterine Dgebuadze, there is a different recommendation for the use of facemasks for students with special educational needs. A SEN student who is unable to wear a mask due to his / her health condition is given the opportunity to move around the school premises without a it. The parent of the student should notify to the school administration in advance.

Additionally, in terms of in-service teaching, the Ministry has developed relevant recommendations for schools to support students with special educational needs. The updated recommendations will help the administration to better plan the educational process.

According to Ekaterine Dgebuadze, the general education institutions are equipped with the necessary resources and inventory for the prevention of the virus, the bathrooms in the schools are organized and maintained, the sanitary-hygienic norms and the recommendations of the Ministry are strictly observed. Consequently, schools are fully prepared to receive students in a safe educational environment. In this regard, the educational resource centers carry out systematic monitoring at schools and are informed on the spot about the situation.

The First Deputy Minister also spoke about the additional opportunities offered to parents and teachers. In particular, she noted that parents of students in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Zugdidi, Telavi, Zestaponi, Gardabani, Poti, Marneuli, Batumi, Kobuleti and Gori public schools have the opportunity to choose between distance learning and traditional method of learning. It is important that students with special educational needs throughout the country enjoy the same opportunity.

At the same time, throughout the territory of Georgia, the Ministry gives an opportunity to teachers at risk, based on the relevant medical report, to apply to the school administration to continue working in a remote format.

In case of coronavirus cases are confirmed in schools, the approach to point restrictions will continue. At such times the school appeals to the local health center, which decides whether to move a particular class to a remote format or not.