Statement by Mikheil Chkhenkeli, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia

Mikheil Chkhenkeli, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, issues a recommendation to educational institutions.

Mikheil Chkhenkeli: "Based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, for preventive purposes and in order to carry out disinfection in public schools, we have made the decision to extend the spring break. The break will begin on March 2 instead of March 9 and will last until March 16.

As for private schools - on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, they are also recommended to declare their break from March 2 to March 16 in order to carry out disinfection works.

The Ministry also recommends higher educational institutions to carry out disinfection works for preventive purposes, and if this requires postponing the start of the spring semester, within the framework of their autonomy, they must determine the start date of studies themselves.

Based on the Ministry's recommendation and depending on the disinfection works to be carried out, vocational education institutions must also determine for themselves the necessity and timeframe for the temporary postponement of studies.

I would like to state once again that there is no ground for panic; we are cooperating closely with the World Health Organization and the Government is fully managing the process."