In the framework of the official visit, the Minister of Education and Science holds meeting in Canada. Today, he met with the President of Atlantic Counsel, Ms Juliette Lindhout in Toronto and Ontario’s Deputy Minister of Education, Kevin Costante.

Georgian ongoing educational reforms were discussed at the meeting. Participants of the Canadian delegation positively evaluated them. In the framework of the meeting, the Minister spoke about intensified teaching of English language at public schools, as well as recruiting 1000 native English speakers, who will arrive to Georgia and teach Georgian schoolchildren the English language. The volunteers will be located to the different regions of Georgia and teach the schoolchildren from the first grade the English language.  Volunteers from Canada, USA, Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand and Ireland will arrive to Georgia.

At Toronto meeting, the Canadian colleagues decided to familiarize the schools and Boards of the schools with the ongoing Georgian program and support the volunteers to get engaged in this project.  

The cooperation between Canadian and Georgian Universities was also discussed at the meeting. The quality of education in Canada is very high and is similar to Western universities. The tuition fees of Bachelor and MA programs are much cheaper than in American and European schools. So, the Minister announced, Georgia will actively cooperate with Canada to give Georgian students opportunity of receiving education in Canada.

Dimitri Shashkini met also with the President of Atlantic Council, Ms. Juliette Lindhout and spoke about the current reforms and NATO. Despite, Georgia is smaller country than Canada, it is actively involved in Afghanistan and Iraq operations and seeks to become the member of NATO.

The Minsiter left for Ottawa today to meet with the Minister of State for democratic reforms, Steven Pletcher.