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Studies at Tbilisi Youth Palace no more free of charge

Liberali reports that registration of the students at the Tbilisi Youth Palace will require payment. According to the palace director, Ketevan Peikrishvili, parents will have to pay 50 GEL to register their children for the courses operating at the palace.

Those who have more than one child will pay half-price for the second child, while the studies for the third child will be free-of-charge. There are also privileges for twins. She said only art and sport disciplines will require payment.

Peikrishvili said the income from the payments will be entirely used for the teachers’ salaries. She said it became necessary to establish payment due to the small annual budget from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs which is 1,500,000 GEL annually.

Peikrishvili said thus the palace could not follow the agenda aimed at ensuring a safe environment for the youth, the improvement of technical facilities as well as socio-economic conditions of teachers with the above mentioned budget.

Peikrishvili hoped that with the “symbolic” amount of money paid by parents, it would partly improve the situation at the palace.

However, the children from vulnerable families and those who come from families that have lost members during the wars will study for free.