European Trade Union Committee for Education

On the occasion of celebrating the World Teachers’ Day (5th October 2017), more than 200 teachers from 136 Tbilisi schools attended the central event, organised by ESFTUG, ETUCE member organisation in Georgia. The Vice-Prime Minister of Georgia and Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Alexandre Jejelava, took part in the celebration of the World Teachers’ Day. Colleagues in Georgia  recognise appreciatingly that the scale of the celebration of the teaching profession in Georgia is growing.

Summarising the key developments of the previous academic year, on behalf of the union, ESFTUG President, Maia Kobakhidze, called on the Ministry of Education and Science to develop and submit to the Government of Georgia, a three-year or five-year programme on gradual growth of teachers' salary to align the average salary of teachers to the average salary of employees in public sector.

The Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science congratulated and thanked teachers for their hard work. He talked about scheduled activities aiming to enhance the status of the teaching profession and teachers’ involvement in the ongoing reform process. Furthermore, Alexandre Jejelava informed the participants about the strategy focused on, among other things, the alignment of teachers’ salaries with the average salary of public services workers and the introduction of the reimbursement system in the framework of maternity leave of teachers.

In conclusion, Maia Kobakhidze said “It is crucial to establish a common political strategy in Georgia to advance the social status of teachers and extend teachers’ labour and social and economic rights ”.