“Free education at state universities is fundamentally a social matter. It’s not merely about the goals of education; rather, it’s about the social support that students will receive,” stated Georgia’s Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, during today’s briefing.

According to the Prime Minister, the primary purpose of transitioning to free higher education is social.

“One of the concerns raised was that students were unable to pay their fees and were consequently suspended, etc. We will ensure that no student is ever suspended again. The core issue here is social. We are paying students’ fees from the state budget to provide them with social support. That is the main objective. As for the other aspects, the entire concept we have presented aims to improve quality. We want education to be both free and of high standard,” he emphasised.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze added that the government believes that the number of students admitted to state universities will increase, with quotas allocated based on expectations. He explained that a labour market analysis is currently underway, and based on its findings, quotas will be distributed directly among faculties.

“In terms of student numbers, this decision should lead to an overall increase. Last year, approximately 31,000 students were accepted across all universities. We anticipate that the number of students enrolling in state universities will grow. Quotas are being set in line with expectations. Contrary to some rumours suggesting a reduction, quotas will not decrease in any way. The only change is that, following the labour market analysis, quotas will be allocated directly to faculties. But overall, the number of seats available at state universities will not shrink; in fact, it will increase.

We expect more students to attend, especially now that education at state universities will be free for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. We expect growth so that the same number of students who applied to universities this year will be able to do so again. In theory, the state could also fully absorb this resource. Our primary concern is ensuring that it remains easy for students to access universities, whether they are state or private institutions. Quotas will be adjusted accordingly,” the Prime Minister stated.