Ministry of Education: School infrastructure works aim to create a safe, modern environment; we urge specific individuals to refrain from spreading misinformation

The Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia has clarified that the sole objective of the planned infrastructure works across public schools is to create a safe, modern learning environment. The ministry explained that these projects aim to create a safe, modern learning environment that meets contemporary standards for students and teachers.

According to the ministry, widespread rumours claiming that public school grounds are being alienated or privatised are entirely false.

“We wish to respond to the disinformation surrounding planned infrastructure works in public schools and provide the public with accurate information regarding this matter.

These infrastructure upgrades aim exclusively to secure a safe and contemporary educational setting for pupils and teaching staff. Transporting lessons to alternative sites is an unavoidable interim measure to ensure students eventually return to fully renovated and compliant school buildings.

Rumours circulating on social media claiming that school grounds are being sold off are entirely false and completely divorced from reality.

Given the high level of public interest, we outline the details of this process once more: to upgrade and develop school infrastructure, the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia identified a list of public schools requiring infrastructure works this year.

This list was forwarded to the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia so that, based on expert assessments and official reports from the Levan Samkharauli National Forensic Bureau, the specific nature and scope of the required works could be determined for each school, whether a full building rehabilitation will take place or whether, given current conditions, constructing a new school on the same site will be necessary.

We also wish to clarify the mandatory protocol when an inspection by the Levan Samkharauli National Forensic Bureau designates a school building as Category IV.

Under government regulations, Category IV signifies that 30 to 50 per cent of the structure is damaged, making its operation hazardous, with a risk of localised structural collapse under external impacts.

Consequently, the moment a school receives a Category IV rating, the Ministry of Education immediately enacts a precautionary measure, shifting classes online for an interim period of roughly one week.

Crucially, a Category IV rating does not automatically trigger demolition and rebuild. Every facility is assessed individually through secondary expert reviews and inter-agency deliberations. An inter-ministerial panel convenes to evaluate the building within each agency’s technical mandate, focusing on two core questions:

1. Whether instruction can resume in the existing building, what interventions are mandatory to allow this, and for how long the teaching process may safely continue there.
2. If in-person instruction on site is impossible, how to secure an appropriate alternative learning space immediately, while simultaneously launching active planning and execution for large-scale construction of a new school.

The commission’s decisions rest on two primary principles: protecting the safety of students and staff, and maintaining the continuity of the educational process.

Depending on the actual state of the school buildings, the commission’s decisions may vary across different institutions.

On expert advice, the panel may authorise immediate remedial works to allow classes to resume temporarily in the same facility, subject to ongoing structural monitoring while the building remains operational.

In such cases, works will be executed by a contractor firm under strict technical supervision and monitoring by competent specialists from the Municipal Development Fund. Specialists from the Levan Samkharauli National Forensic Bureau will also maintain continuous, individual expert oversight over the progress and quality of the works,” the Ministry of Education stated.

According to the ministry, all safety measures required for pupils and staff will be strictly enforced during the works. To ensure public order and safety, the Education Ministry’s Mandaturi (School Resource Officers) Service will deploy additional personnel. In parallel, the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth will continue searching for suitable alternative space to facilitate the planning and execution of subsequent large-scale works.

“In cases where continuing the learning process in the existing school building is deemed impermissible, the commission resolves to transfer instruction to an alternative venue. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure will draw up a definitive timetable governing either comprehensive building rehabilitation or new construction, setting out phased milestones and delivery timeframes.

We fully recognise that school facilities remain a critical hurdle for the education sector. It is precisely why we have launched a comprehensive overhaul of school infrastructure—to tackle these issues systematically and deliver a safe, modern, and inspiring learning environment for every pupil.

Crucially, every decision throughout this process is taken in close consultation with relevant authorities, technical experts, and local communities, guided strictly by factual evidence and professional evaluations. Regrettably, the attempts by certain individuals to exploit this issue for political ends and mislead the public damage not only the ongoing process, but also the direct interests of students and teachers.

We urge specific individuals and media outlets to approach this matter with due responsibility and refrain from spreading false information,” the ministry’s statement concluded.