The Ministry launched a special program to return children left out of school back to the education system

For the first time, as a result of close cooperation with various agencies, the "State Program for Monitoring the Identification of Out-of-School Adolescents" was established in the education system of Georgia.

Under the program, 10,404 adolescents aged 6 to 16 years (1.7% of the population of the relevant age) were identified as having no educational background and being absent in the education management information system student database.

Previously, there was no complete data on children left out of education in Georgia, and there was no plan or mechanism to return them to the educational environment.

The goal of the Ministry, on the one hand, is to protect the constitutionally guaranteed right of education for all children residing in Georgia, and, on the other hand, to ensure their successful integration into the education system; Also, equipping adults with skills and knowledge that meet the needs of the modern labour market.

Simultaneously, the Ministry, with the support of UNICEF and the Government of Bulgaria, has developed a special compressed curriculum that will provide students with an out-of-school learning environment. At this stage, the process of piloting the new curriculum is underway in specially selected public schools of Georgia. Additionally, training resources are provided for adults and training modules for teachers.

As for the next stage, it is planned to communicate with the parents, guardians or legal representatives of the identified individuals and to involve them in formal education or to at least offer special educational. Social workers of the resource office service will be actively involved in this process, working with the adults individually.

On September 10, 2020, the Government of Georgia approved the "State Program for Monitoring Children Left Out of School" prepared by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia.

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia worked with various agencies to implement the program. The Ministry of Justice of Georgia and the LEPL State Services Development Agency, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia and the Office of the State Inspector were all involved in the process. It was on the basis of data exchange between these agencies that it became possible to identify individuals left out of school.

According to UNESCO, 61 million children worldwide are left out of school.