Tamar Kitiashvili, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia together with the representatives of the local self-government visited the Zugdidi Botanical Garden, where she met with the students of the dual program and their vocational teachers and heard their assessment of the vocational program.
Shota Meskhia Zugdidi State Teaching University together with Zugdidi Botanical Garden, with the support of the Georgian Farmers Association and World Vision Georgia, has been implementing a dual program of ornamental gardening for the third consecutive year. At this stage, the vocational students of the above-mentioned program are actively involved in the restoration of the Botanical Garden. Accordingly, during the meeting the parties discussed the effectiveness of the program and agreed on future cooperation, which will be fruitful for the university, the students, the Botanical Garden, and the city itself.
Within the framework of the decorative gardening program, taking into account the specifics of dual teaching, students undergo a theoretical teaching course, while mastering the practical component in the garden, thus gaining unique work experience.
Zugdidi Botanical Garden was built in the 19th century by Ekaterine Chavchavadze. About eighty species of plants are gathered in the park and it is one of the most important botanical complexes in the country. The garden, based on large-scale restoration, opened in 2019 and immediately began implementing dual programs in cooperation with the university.