The Covid-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented negative impact on the global education system, affecting more than 1.5. billion students worldwide.[1]

In Georgia, educational process was resumed in classrooms and preschool institutions on October 4, 2021, after a year-and-a-half break. However, two weeks after the start of the educational process, due to the growing statistics of infection, some started to talk about the introduction of strict restrictions again.

The signatory NGOs call on the authorities to act in accordance with the standards set by the United Nations Children's Fund, which states that when pandemic-related restrictions are introduced, schools and preschools should be the last to close and the first to reopen, and to prevent their undifferentiated closure.

As of today, there are 2 304 public and private schools and up to 2 000 preschool education institutions in Georgia. According to the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia,[2] within two weeks after the reopening of schools, 108 schools and 687 classes switched to remote learning throughout Georgia. As of October 14, 88 out of 186 preschools were completely closed due to the spread of Covid 19 in Tbilisi; 13 institutions were fully closed and 6 were partially closed in Kutaisi. 39 preschool education institutions, as well as several groups of some institutions, were closed in Kakheti.

At this stage, 69% of teachers and school administrative staff have been vaccinated, 52% of teachers have been vaccinated twice.

Preschool education plays an extremely important role in children's development. During preschool years, children get socialized, develop skills and prepare for school. According to the UNESCO global study, the pandemic has caused high educational loss, as well as mental health problems.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Georgian Government has not used an effective strategy to ensure the functioning of schools/preschools or to reduce the damage caused by the pandemic.  Instead of managing the situation, the Coordination Council saw evasion of the problem as a solution and completely closed preschool institutions and schools.

In 2020-2021, kindergartens were open for only 4-6 weeks. Therefore, preschool children barely had the opportunity to go to preschool institutions for a year.[3] According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, practice shows that schools are not a significant source of infection and when pandemic-related restrictions are introduced, schools and preschools should be the last to close and the first to reopen.

Accordingly, the signatory organizations call on the Georgian authorities to be guided by the recommendations developed by the World Health Organization, United Nations Children's Fund and UNESCO relating to schooling during Covid 19. In addition, we call on the authorities to:

• Carry out active vaccinatation - promote the vaccination of teachers, preschool and school staff.
• Develop effective measures to reduce risks.
• Ensure the involvement of schools, children and adolescents in the decision-making process.
• Immediately start voluntary vaccination of children 12+ years of age.
• Use only a differentiated approach when deciding to close schools and preschools - according to the zones and rates of the spread of the
• Consider closing schools and preschools as an extreme measure.

Signatory organizations:

1. Coalition for Children and Youth 
2. Democracy Research Institute (DRI)
3. Human Rights Center
4. Sapari
5. Rights Georgia
6. International Association - Civitas Georgica
7. NNLE New Generation for Democratic Georgia
8. Georgian Institute for Geostrategic and Euro-Atlantic Integration Studies
9. International Organization of Human Rights protection and Prisoners social welfare

[1] What Have We Learnt? - a study conducted by the World Bank, UNESCO and United Nations Children's Fund in October 2020;

[2] https://www.mes.gov.ge/content.php?id=12587&lang=geo;

[3]  The Impact of the Pandemic on Preschool Education in Georgia, a study conducted by International Association - Civitas Georgica Study.