A bill has been prepared regarding the reform of the Mandaturi Service
Initiated by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a draft law introducing amendments to the Law of Georgia โOn General Educationโ regarding the reform of the Mandaturi Service has been prepared and discussed today. The meeting was led by Deputy Minister of Education and Science Lia Gigauri and Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Natia Mezvrishvili.
The meeting was also attended by representatives from various state agencies, the Parliament, non-governmental, and international organizations. The draft Law of Georgia โOn General Educationโ will be submitted to the Parliament of Georgia in the coming days.
According to the bill:
โข In order to ensure safety in schools, the presence of video cameras on internal and external perimeters will become mandatory. Video cameras will cover the entire school territory and outer perimeter. The equipping process will be implemented in stages, covering without exception all schools in Georgia. In schools where cameras are already installed, their coverage area will be verified and, if necessary, the number of video cameras will be increased. The administration of video cameras will be carried out by the Mandaturi Service;
โข Coordination between the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Internal Affairs will be further enhanced. Specifically, for the purpose of early identification of at-risk groups in schools and the prevention of crime outside of schools, information regarding offenses will be exchanged between the ministries;
โข In order to neutralize conflicts between students within the school and prevent conflicts from continuing outside the school, a Mandaturi officer will be obligated to detain a minor and immediately notify the parents, and in case of an offense, the police;
โข The Mandaturi Service will become significantly more independent and acquire a higher level of legitimacy โ a Mandaturi officer will be appointed to the position not by the school principal, but by the Head of the Mandaturi Service, which will increase the degree of independence of the Mandaturi officer. The Head of the Mandaturi Service, in turn, is appointed by the Minister of Education;
โข While under current legislation a person with general education can become a Mandaturi officer, following the amendments, only a person with higher education will be appointed as a Mandaturi officer;
โข The age for recruitment into the Mandaturi Service will be raised to 21 years;
โข The rule of professional training for Mandaturi officers is changing, which, along with theoretical training, will also include a practical component. The duration of the preparatory course will be increased. The course will be led by relevant experts, ensuring a high quality of teaching and the professional growth of Mandaturi officers. Active Mandaturi officers will undergo retraining in stages in accordance with the new course.
The bill aims to increase the efficiency of the Mandaturi Service and, through close communication between agencies, prevent crime among minors both within schools and in their surrounding areas.
In addition to legislative changes, steps have already been taken in this direction by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Science. Specifically:
โข Cooperation between Mandaturi officers and the Patrol Police has been deepened; patrolling around the school perimeter has been reinforced;
โข A psychological assistance hotline has been launched;
โข Psychological services in schools have been strengthened. This process will gradually cover the entire country, and ultimately, every school will have a qualified psychologist;
โข As a result of cooperation with psychologists, the Ministry of Education has developed specific recommendations for parents, students, and teachers;
โข Advisory flyers are being distributed in all schools in stages, which contributes to raising awareness about violence and bullying, crime prevention, and assisting victims of violence.
