Introduction

The research aims to examine ethnic minority education policy, also to assess how education is accessible for ethnic minorities as a result of implemented reforms.

For the evaluation of the existing situation and challenges, it is important to examine the dynamics of this policy over time. 2004-2005 is an important period of changes in education in general, as well as for this group specifically. Therefore, this period was taken as a starting point for the research.

The Law of General Education (2005) defines equal education opportunities for ethnic minorities living in Georgia. At the same time, Article 35.1 of the Constitution of Georgia guarantees the right of all citizens to equal education and to choose the form of education (Constitution of Georgia, 1995). Furthermore, during the last 15 years, while joining international organizations, Georgia has pledged to ensure equality principles both in terms to preserve native languages and identities, as well as access to quality education.

Until now, the debate continues for the definition of ethnic/national minorities. The disagreement over the concept definition is caused by the variety of objective and subjective characteristics of minorities in the societies. In the given research ethnic minorities will be defined following the version offered by the Venice Commission, as “a group of people, whose total number is less than the whole population and whose members have different ethnic, religious, or linguistic identities than the dominant population and who want to preserve their culture, traditions, religion, and language”(Piranishvili, 2019, 10).

According to the last census (2014), 86.8% of the population are ethnic Georgians, 13.2% are ethnic minorities, out of which the majority (6.3%) are Azerbaijanis and (4.5%) Armenians. They are living densely in Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti (National Bureau of Statistics, Population Census 2014). Ethnic and cultural diversity creates important challenges for the state. The implementation of effective civil integration policies is important for the establishment of a state, based on co-participation and pluralism.

Apart from political participation, access to quality education is a critical problem, which itself is connected to the active participation of ethnic minorities in social and political lives (Institute of Social Study and Analysis, and Open Society Foundation Georgia, 2019, 27). The right to education, regardless of ethnic belongings, is an important tool to preserve national values, culture, and ethnic identity. At the same time, it should be mentioned that this right is a prerequisite for other rights which creates opportunities for engagement in social, political, and cultural life.

All aspects of education, preschool, school, higher and vocational, are important. However, this research attempts to assess ethnic minority education policy by analyzing the reforms conducted on general and higher education levels.

The study will address issues related to higher and general education in the education system - consideration of ethnic minorities needs in decision-making, the objectives of the changes that have taken place over the years, involved and responsible parties, as well as the challenges viewed from different perspectives, which were considerable at each stage of reforms and are still relevant today.

The urgency of the issue is reflected in the results of non-Georgian language students in local and international assessments, the failure rate of students in the Unified Entry Exams, dropout rates at both education stages and higher education graduation results, as well as the challenges related to the shortage of teachers in non-Georgian language schools, their qualification, and teaching resources. Therefore, the study aims to examine ethnic minorities’ access to education.

The given work has practical nature and represents an attempt to evaluate existing problems related to the minorities’ access to education, visions, and recommendations of involved parties towards this policy.

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