I2Q Project Achievements in the General Education Component: IBF Expertise S.A. Presents a Report at the Final Conference
The consulting company IBF Expertise S.A. presented the report on the work carried out in the general education component within the framework of the Innovation, Inclusion and Quality Project (Georgia I2Q) at a final conference on November 4. 2025. The event provided stakeholders with an overview of the results of the ongoing cooperation.
The conference was attended by g representatives from the World Bank, the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia, schools, resource centres, and international organizations. The participants were addressed by: Deputy Minister of Education Baya Kvitsiani, I2Q Project Executive Director Tamar Sanikidze, World Bank Education Specialist Ana Berdzenadze, and IBF Expertise S.A. Project Manager Chiara Minelli.
Since August 2022, IBF Expertise S.A., with the participation of 12 experts, has been working on a contract that aims to Promote the Improvement of Teaching and Learning Quality in General Education. The cooperation is scheduled to conclude in February 2026.
John Henley, Specialist in Education Management and Head of the International Expert Group, along with other experts, presented the detailed summary report and reviewed the significant progress achieved across the main thematic areas of the project:
The following tasks have been completed to support the implementation of the School External Quality Assurance System (School Authorization):
- Quality Assurance Policy Framework document was developed;
- School authorization guidelines were created;
- 150 school authorization quality assurance experts were trained with the assistance of the NCEQE;
- School authorization process was piloted in selected schools;
- Orientation meetings took place for the General Education Institutions Authorization Council.
- School authorization best practice document was prepared;
- A mechanism for evaluating the corps of school authorization experts has been developed and piloted, and recommendations have been formulated based on the results.
- A progress assessment of school authorization involved authorized schools and key stakeholders, with reports prepared for 2024-2025.
The STEAM extracurricular program was successfully implemented in 201 target schools of the project, for which the following work was carried out:
- Whole-School Improvement and Formative Assessment mechanisms were developed and piloted. The pilot report and roll-out plan were prepared;
- School principals and teachers involved in the piloting underwent training;
- Existing formative assessment mechanisms were updated and training module with national examples was prepared;
- 12 training modules on Whole-School improvement were prepared;
- Effectiveness of using school textbooks/electronic resources was analyzed;
- Data Use Manual for schools was developed.
Piloting of STEAM Extracurricular Program in 200 Schools
- 201 schools were equipped with STEAM educational resources;
- Piloting of STEAM educational program was conducted in 200 schools; Up to 5000 students and natural science teachers participated in the pilot;
- 400 teachers from 201 pilot schools were trained for the purpose of piloting the STEAM Program;
- 13 STEAM Innovative LABs were created, which were equipped with educational resources and furniture;
- STEAM Innovative project competition was held with the participation of up to 150 schools. 30 schools that won the project were awarded at the national conference. More than 2,000 students participated in the competition;
- Cooperation with Harvard University was lunch regarding the use of open educational resources (LabXchange) in Georgian schools. Teachers from 80 schools were trained to utilize the resources, and teachers from 10 public schools successfully completed the LabXchange Ambassador Program.
- A pilot report and a national implementation plan for the STEAM extracurricular program were also developed.
A group of international experts conducted important research on general education policies, leading to a review and suggestions for improvement.
- School Principals selection, appointment and professional development scheme was analyzed and recommendations were prepared;
- School Authorization Improvement Recommendations were prepared based on school authorization progress reports;
- Concept and action plan for the decentralization of the general education system and improvement of school management were prepared;
- School Infrastructure Standards were developed.
A key accomplishment of the project is the progress made towards developing a national assessment system for basic general education level (10th grade).
- National Assessment Policy Framework for general education was developed;
- Administrative and technical trainings on the TAO platform were conducted for NAEC staff;
- Full payment of Georgia’s participation fee in 2023 cycle of the TIMSS international assessment was conducted;
- More than 300 test Item Writers, members of the Test Development Committees and members of the Standards Setting Committees were selected and trained in the targeted 6 subject groups/12 subjects;
- Test items bank (initial version) was developed in 6 subject groups / 12 subjects of Grade 10;
- Study visit of NAEC staff to the Netherlands Assessment Center (CITO) was conducted.
- A national assessment system plan for basic education (grade 10) has been developed for implementation at the national level.
The work carried out under the General Education Component was based on the multi-component diagnostic study of general education, which was conducted within the framework of the I2Q project in 2022.
More than 1,500 teachers and school principals from 200 pilot schools targeted by the project underwent training in various thematic areas of the project.