Mercy Tembon, World Bank’s Regional Director for South Caucasus and Ivane Matchavariani, Finance Minister of Georgia, have signed the loan agreement, offering 90 million EUR for implementing the Inclusion, Innovation and Quality Project. The initiative is to contribute to the development of the human capital through increasing access to the pre-school education and ensuring the appropriate environ for obtaining the high-quality education. The loan was approved by the Executive Director’s Board of the World Bank on May 29, 2019.
“Through increasing the access to the pre-school education, high-quality education and launching an appropriate environ for it, the Inclusion, Innovation and Quality Project is to support the development of our major resource – human capital,” stated Ivane Matchavariani and expressed his gratitude to the World Bank team and its Regional Office for support.
“There is a number of donor organizations involved in the education system transformation, taking place at Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia and we want to thank all of them,” said Mikheil Batiashvili, Minister of Education, adding “However, the World Bank is one of the outstanding supporters in this process. I would like to express my gratitude for the assistance, for the major resources, as well as sharing experience and competences, for the effort the World Bank does not spare for the development of the sphere of education. The support is an important factor and a precondition for the success of the reforms.”
“Georgia continues investing in its citizens. The aim of the project is to support the country in terms of attracting more investments for the human capital and increasing innovations and productivity in the global economy. Through preparing firm grounds and strengthening the human capital, the project will increase the capabilities of Georgia for achieving the well-being of each citizen,” stated Mercy Tembon.
It is stated at the World Bank that the given shifts in the Georgia’s education reform represent an important novelty, which will contribute to the preparation of the country for the 21st century’s labor market and economy. Within the scope of the project, much accent is to be put on the implementation of the inclusive principles in the learning process, quality and innovations in the pre-school, general and higher education institutions.
The students of the private and public education establishments, as well as the teachers and the members of administrations are among the direct beneficiaries of the project.
The initiative ensures support for the gender equality, vulnerable groups of the society, ethnic minorities and the pupils with special needs in education. Through the new academic program, it is also to assist the students of the higher education institutions.
The project is in the full accordance with the strategy of cooperation of the World Bank’s latest Country Partnership Framework 2019-2022 for Georgia and is to help the country’s government in terms of implementing the 2018-2023 educational reforms.
