Vocational Education at School
The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, with the financial support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has summarized the two-year activities of the "Vocational Skills Development Programme for School Students." Representatives of vocational colleges, universities, and public schools involved in the program had the opportunity to discuss existing challenges and future prospects for the program's development. Within the framework of the event, based on evaluation and monitoring results, certificates of appreciation were awarded to the participating parties for their contribution to the development of the program.
The Vocational Skills Development Programme for School Students has been successfully implemented since 2017. To date, 259 public schools from 42 municipalities across all regions of Georgia are involved in it. Within the framework of the program, students have the opportunity to try their hand at 43 different professions. Up to the autumn semester of 2018, more than 6,000 8th and 9th-grade students completed the program. In 2019, further expansion of the program is planned, and starting the same year, a vocational skills development certificate program will be launched, the beneficiaries of which will be 10th-12th-grade public school students.
"It is important for school students to develop labor skills at an early age and have a better understanding of the opportunities available in the country in terms of vocational education. As you know, we have already begun piloting the integration of vocational education at the secondary education level, and in the future, we intend to achieve full integration, which will attract more young people to vocational education. More than 200 schools are already technically equipped to conduct vocational courses on school premises. In the future, within the context of the educational reform, we also envision the implementation of retraining courses through cooperation between schools and vocational institutions, enabling secondary-level students to receive certificates. All of this will help them be better prepared when choosing their future profession," stated Tamar Abuladze, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport.
