Georgia: Contribution to CoE Action Plan for Georgia 2024-2027, Democracy Starts in Schools

The proposed intervention is an integral part of the Council of Europe’s (CoE) Action Plan (AP) for 2024-2027 for Georgia. By supporting the AP at large, Switzerland is particularly well placed to join the other development partners and contribute to the broad range of human rights and governance reforms.

Switzerland’s focus on youth is underpinned by Georgia’s National Youth Strategy 2023-2026, National Education and Science Strategy 2022-2030 and the Law of Georgia on General Education guarantee students’ right to participate in school decision-making. However, low student participation persists due to a hierarchical school culture, maintained by the school principals and lack of awareness by the students about their rights. School-children are often not adequately informed about decision-making processes and have limited platforms for voicing their concerns.

Switzerland’s contribution will support and strengthen Georgia’s reforms in the fields of human rights, the rule of law and democracy so that institutions, legislations and practices in the area of human rights, the rule of law and democracy are in line with European standards and Council of Europe members’ obligations.

Part of this contribution will be earmarked to ensure that democratic processes are strengthened through increased participation of secondary school children in their schools and communities in Georgia. 

Direct beneficiaries are secondary schoolchildren (aged 10 to 18), school representatives (principals and teachers) and civil society organizations working on  democratic citizenship and human rights in Georgia.

Indirect beneficiaries are national and local level educational institutions, and local communities. 

Outcome 1: Educational decision-makers, school community members and professionals (school principals, teachers, etc.) support the participatory school governance model and a democratic culture in schools.

Outcome 2: School community members and civil society organizations facilitate school children’s participation in decision-making processes in their schools and communities. 

Resultados previstos:  

• 60 schools have the capacities to implement the democratic school governance principles
• 20 schools pilot digital tool/platform for student participation in school decision-making
• 50 school principals and 300 teachers strengthen their professional competences and support the democratic school governance model
• The schools engage with local stakeholders to implement 12 community-based projects
• Approximately 4’000 schoolchildren increase their competences in tools and approaches for democratic participation in decision-making at schools and in their communities
• Approximately 500 community stakeholders, including parents, support democratic citizenship education in schools through the implementation of schoolchildren’s projects

Resultados de las fases anteriores:  

• 20 schools piloted Methodological Guidelines for Democratic School Governance and specific Action Plans on student participation
• National Center for Teachers’ Professional Development (NCTPD) approved and integrated professional development programme for school directors in its training course
• 54 school principals and 320 teachers increased knowledge to foster student participation
• 1’324 schoolchildren improved their understanding of democratic values in school environment
• 64 schoolchildren learned to develop and implement projects in schools and communities
• The Network of Schools for Education for Democracy was established with 45 member schools