Natia Zedginidze: "We spoke in detail about all the issues emphasized in the Public Defender's report during the presentation of the infrastructure direction."
"We have spoken on numerous occasions about the many infrastructural and sanitary-hygienic problems accumulated in the system over the years, and we have developed a specific plan based on a systematic approach. More attention and concentration are required, and we will do everything to achieve this with a tripled budget. It is essential for school management to be more focused on issues related to hygiene," stated Natia Zedginidze, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, regarding infrastructural projects in schools.
According to her, in 2019, 8 new public schools will be built in accordance with modern, up-to-date standards – specifically, public schools in Tbilisi (86th, 138th, 55th) and inclusive schools (202nd, 203rd), as well as public schools in Terjola, Tkibuli, and Kaspi in the regions. The Municipal Development Fund of Georgia (MDF) will finance the construction of an additional 27 new public schools in the regions.
Regarding school rehabilitation, in 2019, with funding from the Educational and Scientific Infrastructure Development Agency (ESIDA), 3 public schools (Zestaponi Public School No. 1, Ozurgeti Public School No. 1, and Tbilisi Public School No. 214) will be rehabilitated, while 82 public schools will be rehabilitated with funding from the Municipal Development Fund of Georgia (MDF).
As part of the education reform, the rehabilitation of 49 public schools will begin in the spring of 2019, and 100 public schools in the autumn. Partial renovations will be carried out in 31 public schools.
Special attention will be paid to public schools in the regions. This year, the construction of 9 new public schools will be completed – specifically, Tkibuli Public School No. 7, the public schools in the village of Mukhura, Marneuli Public School No. 1, the Soso Ghviniashvili Zemo Kachreti Public School, the public school in the village of Etseri in Tsalenjikha, Tbilisi Public School No. 2, the public school in the village of Plevi in Khashuri, the public school in the village of Shromisubani in Lanchkhuti Municipality, and the public school in the village of Mukhura in Mestia Municipality.
In 2019, it is planned to build a new Education and Science City and Vocational Education Center in Tbilisi and the regions, construct and rehabilitate public schools, and provide security systems in schools.
