The President of Georgia met with the teachers and ethnic Armenian and Azeri students participating in the program “Georgian Language for Future Success” in Bolnisi on the occasion of “Deda Ena Day”. Mikheil Saakashvili congratulated them on the first anniversary of the program and noted that “Georgian Language for Future Success” progressing successfully. During the meeting, the President spoke about the importance of knowing the state language and summed up the results of the program initiated in 2011-2012. According to Mikheil Saakashvili, a majority of representatives of various ethnic groups must be fluent in Georgian by 2015. According to him, this is an ambitious plan, for which the government will spare no efforts. Most importantly, this is necessary because each citizen of Georgia will have an equal chance for success despite their ethnic roots and religious beliefs.
The Head of State recalled the rallies in the streets of Tbilisi in 1978, when the participants hit the streets to save the Georgian language. According to him, those persons saved not only the Georgian language but the idea of Georgia, the idea of the Georgian nation. According to him, those who tried to abolish the Georgian language were against the idea of the Georgian statehood.
“Such people exist in Georgia today, but time is working against them, as well as the successes which the country has achieved. “ - stated Mikheil Saakashvili while talking to them.
He also underscored the importance of knowing foreign languages and noted that first of all, English should be learned and others later.
The President also touched on the issue of developing the country and noted that the rehabilitation process is going on in all parts of Georgia. In this sense he distinguished Samtskhe Javakheti, because several years ago the only source of income was from the Russian military base. Now, according to him the construction of up to 10 hydro electric power plants, railway, restoration of cultural monuments, organizing tourist centers, development of infrastructure and other projects are going on. This region has become the most rapidly developing region, which is important in terms of employment.
Mikheil Saakashvili focused on one more important topic related to the reserve system of the Georgian Armed Forces. The President noted that 100 % of grown ethnic Armenian and Azeri men have enlisted in the reserve.
“This would be impossible if they were not patriots” – noted he and added “we will not give up this new finding of the country to anyone”
While meeting with the President the teachers and students of the program expressed their opinion and noted that “Georgian Language for Future Success” is going on successfully. They also thanked the President for implementing this program.
The new initiative “Georgian Language for Future Success” was created by the initiative of Mikheil Saakashvili and the Georgian language textbooks were developed for its effectiveness. The main purpose of the participants is to be involved in the Georgian language lessons with the local teachers and learn the Georgian language. Up to 300 teachers are involved in the program and all of them are living with local families.
Any citizen of Georgia with a Bachelor’s degree to whom Georgian is their native language can participate in the program. After completing one academic year in a non-Georgian speaking school, the Ministry of Education and Science finances a Master’s degree with a 100% state grant. At the same time, participation in the program counts towards their experience in teaching, accordingly they have a chance to work at schools as teachers and take the teacher certification exams.