On 6 December 2023, the Council of Europe organised a national conference "Democracy Starts in Schools – Engaging School Children in Decision Making Processes in Schools and Communities in Georgia" to present the preliminary results of the Council of Europe project on enhancing a culture of democratic participation within the education system.
The event brought together a diverse group of participants from school communities, including school principals, teachers, parents, and pupils, education experts and decision makers, and civil society organisations. The participants gained insights into the outcomes of the Council of Europe project, explored a showcase of projects created by students, and participated in panel discussions that included topics such as the significance of the student voice, the development of democratic participation culture, and the implementation of a whole-school approach to active student engagement.
The day commenced with the "Democracy Starts with My Voice" exhibition showcasing inspiring projects initiated and implemented by students. Moderated by the NGO "Helping Hand," the exhibition showed a selection of students' initiatives carried out within the project with their own resources and resources raised within the community.
The conference was opened by Tamar Makharashvili, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Barbara Böni, Regional Director of Cooperation for South Caucasus of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and Sarah Keating, Head of the Division for Formal and Non-formal Education, Council of Europe Education Department.
The first session of the conference was dedicated to the importance of student voice. Tamunia Chincharauli, Senior Project Officer, provided an overview of the preliminary results of the Council of Europe Project "Democracy Starts in Schools." The session also featured student presentations emphasising the importance of student participation.
A school directors’ panel explored practical ways to develop a culture of democratic participation in schools and shared best practices in creating opportunities for school community involvement. The school directors highlighted the crucial role that school leaders play in establishing a democratic environment within schools.
The Council of Europe's whole-school approach was showcased by school community members in another panel composed of representatives of the school community, who shared their personal experiences of working together on school action plans during the piloting phase and highlighted the uniqueness of this process in the Georgian context.
The final session focused on peer learning and the sharing of best practices among schools. Representatives of the schools that joined the "Education for Democracy" School Network established with the support of the Council of Europe project presented their projects. The conference participants also had the opportunity to hear about the best practices learned from a study visit of Georgian school principals and teachers to the Republic of Moldova.
With the financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science, the Council of Europe project "Democracy Starts in Schools" has been actively working to improve student participation in schools and communities in Georgia since March 2022. During this period, practical methodological guidelines on student participation were developed and piloted in 20 schools across Georgia. A professional development programme entitled "How to Develop a Democratic School" was created and launched, involving 54 school administration members and 54 teachers. Sixty-four students participated in a summer academy focusing on democratic competences, the importance of participation, and project management skills. A study visit to Moldova was organised for 20 education professionals to gain insights and learn from peer experiences. Additionally, three civil society organisations and one university were supported to collaborate with pilot schools, creating more opportunities for school children to engage in decision-making processes in their schools and communities.
During the conference, the participants highlighted the importance and relevance of the project and its activities in the context of Georgia’s broader education reforms which place ever greater emphasis on education for democratic citizenship and human rights education, student centred approaches to teaching and learning, and a democratic, safe and inclusive school culture. The project has been specifically lauded for its support to schools in the context of the on-going school authorisation process in Georgia and in reaching the ‘student support’ standard.
*The Project “Democracy Starts in Schools – Engaging School Children in Decision Making Processes in Schools and Communities in Georgia” is implemented by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia and with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
