Applicants residing in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region will be able to continue their studies in higher educational institutions located in the Tbilisi controlled territory of Georgia without passing general examinations. They will be able to take advantage of this opportunity already this year.
This and other initiatives were described by the Georgian State Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality. Ketevan Tsihelashvili noted that prior to this initiative, applicants from the occupied regions of Georgia could pass exams within the “1 + 4” program, which meant passing the common skills exam in Ossetian and Abkhaz languages, followed by a one-year Georgian language course, further – continuing education in Georgian universities without passing the remaining exams (4 years of study and obtaining a bachelor’s degree). Thanks to the changes in the law “On general education” they will be able to pass an exam in Abkhazian or Ossetian language instead of an exam on skills.
Another innovation is the “educational training center after school, which will be accepted by any person. This, in fact, is a program that will replace the 12th grade of the school, where they will teach selective subjects”, Tsikhelashvili said. This will give students the opportunity to continue their studies in Georgia or abroad. After the end of this course they will have to pass the test. The center will provide (if necessary) entrants with translators and a place of residence. Students’ campuses will be built in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Gori and Akhaltsikhe.
In addition, researchers and scholars from the occupied regions of Georgia will be able to take part in various competitions that will provide them with grants and help them to get funding to continue their research or training activities both in the country and abroad.
