One of the main components of the "Democracy Starts in Schools" Council of Europe project in Georgia is the development and piloting of methodological guidelines on the democratic governance in schools. Since October 2022, this practical guide has been piloted in 20 schools across Georgia. A similar process has taken place in the Republic of Moldova within the Council of Europe project "Education for Democracy" where methodological guidelines on the democratic school governance was piloted in 49 schools and was adopted in 2023 as a national policy document by the Moldovan Ministry of Education and Research. Both projects are funded with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
The main objective of the Georgian delegation’s visit to Moldova was to to exchange insights and best practices and to peer learn. The delegation included nine school teams, each consisting of one school administrator and one teacher, selected from the 20 pilot schools, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Education and Science and the National Teacher Professional Development Center. All participants engaged in a comprehensive three-day exploration of Moldovan educational practices.
The visit included a meeting with the State Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova, Valentina Olaru, and the Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office, Marius Cyprian Toth. Discussions encompassed the challenges and specificities of the Moldovan education system, paving the way for a fruitful exchange of ideas. Throughout the subsequent days, the Georgian delegation delved into an immersive experience, visiting schools in the vicinity of Chisinau. The visit offered insights into the infrastructure of the schools, presentations on implemented activities, and a deeper understanding of the challenges associated with the adoption of democratic governance. Of particular interest was the mock session of student self-government at Hîncești public school, showcasing the process of gathering student initiatives and decision-making on various issues.
Towards the conclusion of the visit, the participants devoted time to developing comprehensive work plans. From a selection of 28 best practices presented by the Moldovan counterparts, the Georgian school teams identified ten practices aligned with their interests and the specific requirements of their schools. Detailed action plans were crafted, for whose implementation the Council of Europe will provide expert mentorship and support. The results of these best practices will be shared with the wider Georgian education community at the final conference of the "Democracy Starts in Schools" project in December 2023.
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).
