ECE and GE Sector Activities Discussed at the Donor Coordination Meeting

Within the scope of the Innovation, Inclusion and Quality Project supported by the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, a donor coordination meeting was held online on December 2, 2022. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss ongoing and planned activities at the ECE and GE sectors. The representatives of international partner organizations operating in the education sector, structural units of the Ministry of Education and Science, LEPLs, and the I2Q project team attended the meeting.

In the opening session, Tamar Makharashvili, the First Deputy Minister of Education and Science, noted the merit of the donor organizations in the development of the education sector of Georgia and mentioned the importance of information sharing promptly among partner organizations for more efficient and effective development cooperation.

The meeting participants were informed about the Education and Science Strategy 2022-2030 and the action plan, which is focused on quality education and improvement of the management system. It was noted, the international donor organizations supported and were actively involved in the strategy development process.

Kakhaber Eradze, Deputy Director National Center of Education Quality Enhancement, introduced the World Bank-supported Georgia Human Capital Program for Results (PforR) and its activities. He mentioned that efforts and support in strengthening the human capital of Georgia are a significant stimulus for the economic and social well-being of the country.

Tamar Sanikidze, the Innovation, Inclusion and Quality Project Executive Director, provided the attendees with the progress made and ways forwards – activities are foreseen under all components of the World Bank-supported I2Q Project (Progress Update) in ECE and GE components. Tamar Sanikidze mentioned an international consulting company (SDSURF) is working on ECE Sector improvement in Georgia. The company with many years of experience in the field will give special notice to the following tasks: 1. Development of a quality assurance framework (the consultant company intensely cooperates with NCEQE); ECE Data Reporting – developing mechanisms for collecting and analyzing data related to ECE education and integrating it with the education management information system; Salary Scale – developing an updated salary policy for ECE education, and Teacher Training and School Readiness Program (SRP) – teachers and promoting professional development and updating the existing school readiness program, which will be implemented in 150 selected target schools. The Ministry ensures the regulation of the appropriate infrastructural environment in schools.

Tamar Sanikidze noted that work on GE quality improvement is also in an active phase. In this direction, cooperation with the international consulting company (IBF International) aims to achieve three specific tasks: 1. Whole School Improvement: develop a policy framework, mechanisms, and instructions for whole school improvement and support the scaling up of the whole-school improvement pilot; 2. Continuous Formative Assessment of Students: support capacity-building of school leaders and teachers to adapt, develop, and implement school-based assessment practices and 3. National Assessment Policy Implementation: design the mechanisms and instructions for implementation and piloting the new national assessment policy framework. Within the scope of the project, school infrastructure standard is developed. The new standard envisages the new concept of integrating preschool and primary education infrastructurally and in respect of the content.

At the meeting, the donor organizations’ representatives spoke about the ongoing projects and activities in ECE and GE sectors within the scope of their organization. They mentioned the importance of sharing information and experiences for efficient cooperation. For this purpose, taking into consideration the MES strategic priorities, work is underway on developing a unified digital platform, where information is collected about all donor organizations operating in the education sector in Georgia, their implemented and current projects, reports, achieved results, and plans. Various educational resources developed within the framework of projects funded by donor organizations will be available on the open platform. The platform will be an effective mechanism for evaluating the progress achieved in the education sector, clarifying investment needs, and generating ideas for new joint projects.

To use the resources as efficiently as possible and to exchange the necessary information promptly, donor organizations’ coordination meetings will be held again.