USAID launches $7 million education program in Georgia

As the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia reports, Under the US-Georgia Partnership, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will carry out another $ 7 million 5-year large-scale project.

The project Achieving Student-Centered Education for a New Tomorrow (ASCENT) aims to further develop literacy, numeracy, problem solving and critical thinking skills in all the educational institutions, as well as at the university level programs, which subsequently provides in student-centered learning environment.

“USAID is launching a new $7 million large-scale educational program that will support ongoing education reform in Georgia and support the introduction of a new school model,” said Irine Abuladze, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport.

The decision was adopted by the US State Department, at the meeting held in the framework of U.S. Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership, which was co-chaired by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Minister, Irina Abuladze, and Deputy Foreign Minister, Vakhtang Makharoblishvili.

The expansion of the Fulbright program was also discussed at the US-Georgia Strategic Partnership Working Group meeting. With the initiative of the American side, within the framework of this program, the English Language Teaching Assistant (ETA) project will be implemented to support the internationalization process of regional higher education institutions.

The project aims to assist in English language teaching and practice hours, professional development of a peer-to-peer, development of an English language teaching curriculum/program for higher education institutions, and improved institutional practice of higher education institutions in Georgia on the way to internationalization.

The United States-Georgia Strategic Partnership affirms the importance of the relationship as friends and strategic partners. This Strategic Partnership intends to deepen the partnership to the benefit of both nations and expand the cooperation across a broad spectrum of mutual priorities.

This cooperation between the two democracies is based on shared values and common interests. This includes expanding democracy and economic freedom, protecting security and territorial integrity, strengthening the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the right of dignified, secure and voluntary return of all internally displaced persons and refugees, supporting innovation and technological advances, and bolstering Eurasian energy security.