Georgia | Applied Civic Education and Teacher Training (ACETT) program for Georgia | 28 Feb 2012

On February 25th, the first National Conference was held for the Civics Teachers’ Forum, sponsored by the Applied Civic Education and Teacher Training Program (ACETT). The conference, held at the Tbilisi Event Hall, brought together 250 civics teachers and stakeholders from across Georgia to discuss best practices, personal experiences and coming innovations in the field of civic education. Irina Kurdadze, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, welcomed the audience, followed by USAID Caucasus Mission Director, Stephen Haykin, and Liana Gugunishvili, a committee member in the Civics Teachers’ Forum. Marina Ushveridze, the Director of ACETT, then spoke to the group about the incredible successes of ACETT and the growth of civic education in Georgia. A variety of materials were also shared to demonstrate the work of teachers and students involved in ACETT and ACETT-led civics clubs, including brochures, newspaper articles, photos, educational materials and student achievements. A range of training opportunities and plenary sessions enabled participants of the conference to learn from civics experts and educators like G. Gakheladze, who spoke about professional development, and researcher David Gogishvili, who talked about a project called ”Research Laboratory of the Soviet Past,” which has been an effective instrument of civic education in the country. Professor Lela Gaprindashvili also shared her research on democracy in Georgia. Other plenary sessions focused specifically on recommendations for improving civic education. The event concluded with the distribution of awards for the best civics teachers in each of the nine regions of Georgia. The Civic Education Teachers’ Forum was created in the framework of the Applied Civic Education and Teacher Training Program (ACETT), implemented by PH International in partnership with the Consultancy and Training Centre. The program is funded by USAID.