Ivane Matchavariani on the Importance of Education Reforms

While evaluating the new education initiative presented by the Prime Minister, ‘Education – A Road to Freedom’, the Minister of Finance of Georgia Ivane Matchavariani stated to TV Pirveli “currently, there is no theme of more importance than the initiative regarding education reform.”

The minister said the government has made a major step, which will contribute to the prosperity of the country and eradication of poverty within its borders in future.  

“In general, small countries like us with limited income try to avoid making any commitment on a legislative level in any sphere. However, I do strongly believe that this is a courageous step which will help our country to prosper and overcome the problem of poverty in future. Within the scope of the project, the education budget will increase to reach 6% of the total GDP by 2022. This value makes more than a quarter of the current tax income.” stated the minister.

“Most importantly, these figures are backed up with multilateral reform which involves the construction of new schools and rehabilitation of already existing ones; equipping them with the latest technologies; improving the level of teachers’ qualifications and increasing their salaries in a way that the profession of a teacher becomes one of the most popular,” continued Matchavariani. 

He also claimed that improving the level of education is one of the major preconditions of the country’s economic development.   

“We will increase the prestige of this profession, higher the level of education and, in this way, contribute to the amelioration of the country’s economic situation. Today, the countries with high human capital are occupying leading positions. The given figure is measured according to a number of indexes, including the World Bank Human Capital Index. We are on the 61^st line according in this index and, after launching the reforms, we aim to be included among the top-10 countries, within the following 10-12 years,” said Matchavariani. 

Translated by Ketevan Kvaratskheliya