By the decision of the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, the Ukrainian language sector was opened at the 41st Grushevski Tbilisi Public School. From today, Ukrainian students will have the opportunity to receive general education in their native language in Georgia. The Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Mikheil Chkhenkeli participated in the opening ceremony, and addressed the audience and  personally congratulated the Ukrainian students and teachers on the establishment of the new sector.

Mikheil Chkhenkeli: "Today is a truly historic day – owing to the decision of the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr. Irakli Gharibashvili, a Ukrainian-language sector was opened here at the 41st Mikheil Grushevski Tbilisi Public School, which means that Ukrainian students will receive general education in their native tongue.

The opening of the Ukrainian-language sector is a clear example of the great support of our brotherly Ukrainian nation by the Government of Georgia and the Georgian people as a whole. The Ukrainian sector ceased to function at 41^st Tbilisi Public School in 2011. Nevertheless, today, I am immensely proud that for the first time in 11 years, thanks to the efforts of our government, Ukrainian students in Georgia will have the opportunity to study in Ukrainian, their mother tongue.

As a result of tireless work, the predesignated team at the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia returned the Ukrainian-languagesector to the 41^st Tbilisi Public School in exactly 2 weeks, where the entire teaching process will be conducted in Ukrainian language, from the first to the 11^th grade.

In close cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine in Georgia, we have selected qualified teachers, whose salaries will be provided entirely by the Government of Georgia.

We are constantly expressing our support to the Ukrainian people, which is reflected in concrete steps. Please note, that owing to the decision of the Government of Georgia, Ukrainian students are enrolled at Georgian schools in an expedited and simplified manner.

Dear students and teachers, I believe you will make new friends in this warm and caring environment, and you will make both Ukraine and Georgia proud of you

Congratulations once again on this historic day and good luck!"

The opening ceremony was also attended by Andriy Kasyanov, Charge d'Affaires of Ukraine in Georgia, who thanked the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili and the Minister of Education and Science of Georgi, Mikheil Chkhenkeli for their support of the Ukrainian people. In his words, this is a great expression of support, as the Georgian side ensured the opening of the Ukrainian-language sector in the shortest possible time.

The school will offer educational, medical and psychological services to students enrolled in both the Georgian and Ukrainian sectors. Upon arrival, Ukrainian students had the possibility to inspect a library equipped with juvenile Ukrainian Language and Literary works.

Moreover, qualified teachers for all subjects were selected, thanks to the close cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine in Georgia. Both recently arrived highly competent individuals from Ukraine and locally selected Ukrainian-speaking specialists will oversee education process. They were met in person by the Minister of Education and Science to discuss the learning process. Full remuneration for these teachers is provided by the Government of Georgia in accordance with the hourly workload of the National Curriculum. The Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia also provides professional development support for teachers employed in the Ukrainian-language sector.

The school curriculum of the Ukrainian-language sector at the 41st Mikheil Grushevsky Public School was compiled based on the national curriculum as approved by the Decree N40/N of the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia. Students will study both compulsory and faculty subjects within a formal curriculum. Educational and non-formal education activities will also be planned.

Furthermore, students of the Ukrainian language sector will also learn the Georgian language and literature and a special subject titled – “My Georgia". Students, if they wish, will also have the opportunity to participate in competitions announced by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia.

130 students have expressed their desire to study at the Ukrainian language sector of Tbilisi Public School No. 41. The number is growing daily.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia provided all students with the necessary textbooks and notebooks. Ukrainian students will benefit from the preferential terms of the mobile data package in accordance with the agreement signed between the Ministry and Georgian mobile operators.

It should be noted that according to the decision of the Government of Georgia, students who, as a result of the hostilities in Ukraine, are unable to continue their general education in Ukrainian schools and express a desire to continue their education in Georgia, are enrolled in schools in a simplified manner. According to the available data, 426 students of different ages have already been enrolled in Tbilisi and the regions.

Owing to the decision made by the Government of Georgia,  students who are unable to continue their general education in Ukraine, due to the ongoing conflict in their homeland, will have the opportunity to continue their studies at Georgian schools. According to the currently available data, 426 students of various age-groups have already been enrolled in Tbilisi and the regions.

The Ukrainian School in Georgia was established and operated in 1999 at the request of the Ukrainian Diaspora living in Georgia and the Embassy of Ukraine. In 2005, after the schools were granted the status of a legal entity under public law, the official name of the 41st school no longer mentioned the name of the Ukrainian school, although teaching in Ukrainian was still practices in various subjects. In 2011, as soon as Public School N56 joined with Public School N41, the teaching of the Ukrainian language was drastically dropped. Since then, Ukrainian classes have not been opened at the elementary level, and in fact the Ukrainian sector has ceased to function.

By the decision of the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, for the first time since 1999, the Ukrainian sector was established in Georgia with an official status, where all subjects will be taught at the elementary, basic and secondary levels in Ukrainian.