Overview of the General Education System

Education in the Republic of Georgia has developed from medieval monastic schools like Gelati and Ikalto which supported theological and philosophical studies, to a centralized Russian imperial education system repressing the use of Georgian for instruction. Modern higher education began under Soviet rule with the establishment of Tbilisi State University in 1918 and broadened by means of universal literacy and ideological learning programs. After gaining independence in 1991, Georgia introduced the decentralization of education and alignment with the Bologna Process. Current strategies priorities quality assurance, inclusion, skills training and digitalization.

Georgian is the official language of the Republic of Georgia, and it serves as a means of communication in all government, legal and administrative matters. It is the main language of instruction in public schools and the language used by the national media. Regional schools and media use minority languages, including Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Russian however, Georgian is still mandatory for national examinations and official communication.

National education policy, curriculum development and institutional accreditation are the responsibility of the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia. It manages public education, vocational training and higher education and encourages quality assurance, accessibility of learning opportunities and international cooperation.

The education system in Georgia is centralized, covering preschool to higher education. Preschool education (ages 0-6) is optional and subsidized by the state, while general education (grades 1–12) is mandatory. It includes primary, basic, and secondary levels. Students receive the Secondary School Certificate (Sashualo Skolis Atestati) upon graduating, but if they exit early, they get a Certificate of Incomplete Secondary Education (Arasruli Sashualo Ganatieblis Motsmoba). Vocational education offers flexible pathways aligned with the National Qualifications Framework, awarding credentials such as the Secondary Vocational Qualification (Sashualo P’ropesiuli K’valipik’atsia) and the Diploma from a Special Secondary School (Sashualo Specialuri Sastsavieblis Diplomi) for specialized programs. Higher education comprises bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, with institutions subject to authorization and accreditation, and full adoption of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) under the Bologna Process.