Minister of Education and Science, Dimitri Shashkini met with around 200 teachers of Tbilisi and regions and informed them about planned innovations for the next academic year.

Minister familiarized teachers with following issues: developing semester classes. New educational program, that envisages two semester classes instead of trimester, will be introduced. Every academic year, school will begin on September 15 and finish on June 15.  Total teaching hours will be changed because of the new disciplines that will be introduced in the next academic year. School children will study world culture, civil defense and safety. Physical fitness will be replaced with sports classes and etc.

School children assessment system will be changed from the next academic year. Therefore, school journals will be changed as well. School children will be evaluated according to the three criteria: homework, school exercises and tests. Grades will be written in three columns. School textbooks will be changed as well. The best models of the textbooks were selected according to the restricted approval regulations.

Developing teachers’ professional ethics code is finished. Soon, school children and Principal code of Conduct will come into force in order to finally regulate relations at schools.

School branding program is going to be launched. Schools will receive stars according to the different criteria. These stars will define the success of schools. Criteria of branding are various and envisage the components that modern general educational institutions will have to satisfy. Program is designed to create competitive environment that will be reflected on the quality of studying.

Teachers expressed great interest in innovations and positively evaluated them. They noted, Ministers’ new initiatives will positively influence on schools and advance the quality of education.

Finally, Minister answered the teachers’ questions.