The project “Professional Development of Teachers in Vocational Education” implemented by the World Bank with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia and with the financial support of the UK Embassy's "Good Governance Fund" has been completed. The closing ceremony, which was attended by Sebastian Molineus, World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus, and Helen Wichmann, Head of the Good Governance Fund at the British Embassy, ​​was opened by Tamar Kitiashvili, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia.

The project, which aimed to create regulatory documents for vocational education teachers, developed such important documents as: Vocational Education Teacher Standard and Code of Ethics, Concept of Start-ups, Professional Development and Career Advancement, Remuneration Model, Vocational Teacher and Vocational Student Assessment Toolkit, etc. Additionally, within the project scope, the databases related to teachers of the Education Management Information System were revised and improved, in conjunction with developing an electronic platform supporting vocational education: vet.ge. Also, the project included several key activities aimed at strengthening the capacity of vocational education institutions and other parts of the system.

In her speech, Deputy Minister Tamar Kitiashvili noted that the main objectives and goals of the project are to reduce the demand for labor and supply imbalances by the industry, which is one of the main challenges of the Georgian vocational education system. According to her, considering the recommendations developed within the framework of this project, it will greatly help to strengthen the teaching-learning process. The results will make it possible to attract new qualified personel into the system, while creating the necessary conditions for professional development for existing teachers.

Sebastian Molineus, World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus, stated at the final event of the project that the World Bank, as a strategic partner for Georgia's development, has been supporting the government in implementing infrastructure, economic and educational projects necessary to achieve sustainable development goals. "Today, together with our British partners, we celebrate the success of the joint effort to enhance the quality of vocational education and create a more skilled workforce. "By improving the educational environment, Georgia will become more attractive for foreign direct investment, which is crucial for increasing employment in the country and the sustainability of the economy." said Sebastian Molineus.

"We are proud to announce that the British Government has been given the opportunity to fund this important project, which serves to improve the management systems, which, in turn, will help improve the quality of vocational education in Georgia. In the current pandemic, the importance of vocational education will increase, as it is the mechanism that provides the workforce with skills appropriate to the demands of the labor market. "Therefore, qualified personnel will be able to further strengthen the pandemic economy" stated Helen Wichmann, Head of the Good Governance Fund at the British Embassy in Georgia.

The online event was also attended by staff from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, the World Bank and the project, vocational education experts and a wide range of stakeholders.