As many people are fortunate enough to know from experience, an inspiring and informed teacher can make a world of difference in a student’s life. This is especially true in primary school, when children learn basic math and literacy skills that will prepare them for advanced study and open a world of possibilities for them as adults. In Georgia, teachers and their students stand to benefit from more widespread training in international best practices in classroom instruction and a greater availability of teaching and reading materials.
Recognizing this, the Georgian government is investing in teacher training and educational materials. With the support of the Ministry of Education and Science, the USAID-funded Georgia Primary Education Project, implemented by Chemonics, kicked off a training program in April 2013 to equip teachers with the latest instructional methods, emphasizing the incorporation of short student assessments at regular intervals and instructional materials like posters, activity cards, and supplemental readers. To date, the initiative has reached more than 1,200 math and reading teachers from across the country, including more than 200 from ethnic and linguistic minority schools.