Meeting was held on Enhancing Information Technology Teaching at Schools
29.01.2010
Till the end of 2010, 75% of Georgian public schools will be connected to internet. The Ministry of Education and Science undertakes the process of connecting schools to the World Wide Web, based on the initiative of the President of Georgia concerning the enhancing information technology teaching at schools. All public schools will be connected to internet by the end of 2011; internet service to each school will be provided at the expenses of the State.

 Until the end of 2010, all public schools will have their own web sites. High school students will actively participate in designing these web sites. The Microsoft granted the special license program to the Ministry of Education and Science that will support the process of connecting schools to the World Wide Web. The Minister of Education and Science Dimitri Shashkini says that connecting schools to internet will enhance the communication skills of teachers and students and will provide with opportunities to share best practices.

The Microsoft Corporation elaborated a new direction to encourage bringing up the innovative-thinking generation within the education system. Within the frame of the Partners in the Learning Program, four meetings were arranged with participation of experts, school principals, teachers, students. The participants talked about the importance of integrating innovative IT technologies in the learning process.

During the debriefing with the Minister, the participants were focused on various approaches needed to bringing up the innovative-thinking generation, with a special emphasis on new IT technologies.

Currently, computers have been delivered to all public schools in Georgia (2171 schools in total). Nevertheless, computer science is not taught at schools properly. The Ministry of Education and Science will take efforts to implement the President’s initiative in the possible shortest period of time.