In the third reading, the Parliament adopted an amendment to the law On General Education with 74 votes. This amendment, initiated by the Ministry of Education, changes the duration of basic and secondary levels of general education.
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The law specifies that full general education in Georgia consists of three levels: primary (6 years - grades I-VI), basic (4 years - grades VII-X), and secondary (2 years - grades XI-XII). According to Article 27 of the Constitution of Georgia, receiving primary and basic education is mandatory. Until now, the duration of general education was 6 years at the primary level, and 3 years each at the basic and secondary levels. Therefore, students were required to attend school for 9 years to complete the elementary and basic levels.
Approximately 5% of students leave school after the 9th grade. According to the explanatory note of the draft law, in 2023, up to 3,222 students completed the basic level of general education and left school, 99% of whom came from public schools. The Ministry of Education believes that the number of students leaving school after the 9th grade is quite high.
"Their prospects of employment in the labor market are very low, depending on the knowledge obtained after graduating from the 9th grade and their age since the age for entering school is 6 years, and according to the Labor Code of Georgia, the labor capacity of an individual begins at the age of 16.
There is also an increased likelihood that adolescents will face risks such as child marriage, age-inappropriate employment and/or trafficking, illegal activities, and involvement in the juvenile justice system, among others.
Based on this, increasing the basic level by one year and offering four-year training programs is mandatory in the education format, which will be in line with the educational systems of leading European countries. ...students will be better prepared and formed in order to make a more informed decision whether to continue their studies in a general educational institution or in a vocational school. If the student decides to stop studying, they will be 15-16 years old (one year older than the current regulation), and the offered solid four-year basic level program will ensure that a more prepared young person enters the labor market," reads the explanatory note of the bill.
The change in the duration of the basic level of general education will also affect students who will be in the 9th grade in the 2024-2025 academic year, extending their mandatory basic education by one year.
