General Education Policy in Minority Schools in Georgia

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: The historical conditions that have developed over the centuries, as well as the migration processes of the 19th and 20th centuries, have determined the multi-ethnic composition of the country’s population. Georgia, as a post-Soviet country, has been transitioning from totalitarianism to democracy for the last few years. The country is in the process of developing into an open, civil society; the modern concept of human-free development, the new principles and values of a civil society and the priorities of public consent placed the problem of ensuring the creation of tolerance in the foreground. Therefore, it is important to define the place and role of national minorities in modern social life. The aim of the article is to determine the problems of non-Georgian general education schools in the educational space of Georgia and develop the necessary recommendations for the solution of these problems. The object of the study is non-Georgian-language public schools in the territory of Georgia, where the teaching and learning processes of the representatives of national minorities is underway. Purpose: The study will discuss the current situation in non-Georgian language general education schools. We will present the recommendations that we think will have a positive impact on the development of non-Georgian language educational institutions in the current education reform. Methods: The article examines the situation in the state regarding the issue of general education of national minorities, international experiences, problems and the means of solving them. Through surveys, in-depth interviews, focus group, data collection, organisation, analysis and synthesis, attention was paid to three problematic issues. These were as follows: 1. low motivation of the students in non-Georgian language schools; 2. low level of knowledge of the state language among the students; 3. textbook availability in non-Georgian language schools of Georgia. Conclusion: A content analysis was used to draw common conclusions. From the in-depth study of the materials, specific recommendations have been made regarding the effectiveness. The policies that were implemented in relation to the national goals of general education in national minorities are less result-oriented and need to be improved.