"We want to say thank you. We hope that the seminar was useful for you and you will use this knowledge and skills at your lessons. The four days which we spent with you for us was an experience that we will share with our colleagues and pupils in Denmark. For us very impressive was our visit at Tbilisi N42 public school, where we saw how the Georgian teachers work, and we want to tell you, that it was great. Despite the fact, that we very often use internet and digital technologies in the learning process, the most main, the most important figure during the lesson is a teacher and we see this important figure at the lesson in N42 public school and also here, at the training. We wish you good luck and we will be pleased to meet you again” -the Danish guests thanked the ESFTUG President, Vice-Presidents and all the participants for the pleasant days, for the impressions and positive emotions.

On March 22-25, 2018, Maria Helmberger and Bente Larsen, the expert-teachers from upper secondary schools of Denmark carried out the 4-days training at the ESFTUG Teachers’ Training Center in Tskneti. The topic of the training was -“IT Technologies and Digital Literacy in Learning Process”.

The solidarity project – “Partnership on promoting education policy capacity, advocacy and school development in Georgia” is implemented by the National Trade Union of the upper secondary school teachers of Denmark (GL) in partnership with the Educators and Scientists Free Trade Union of Georgia (ESFTUG). The 18-month project is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and the Foundation of the Civil Society in Development (CISU).

47 teachers from the public schools of Tbilisi, also from the 13 regions of Georgia and 2 regions of Adjara Autonomous Republic participated in the training.

For the further coordination of the seminar participant teachers, that they can use this knowledge and skills in teaching process, the education expert, Mr. Gia Nozadze was invited at the seminars.

“School system in Denmark”, ”Teaching in Danmark in 2018”, ”Changes and consequences of computers and social media”, ”Curriculum of 2017 and its implementation in the schools”, ”Introduction to common practice in Danmark”, ”IT in class”, ”It programs”, ”How do we develop digital literacy and successfully implement it at our schools?” – these were the main topics of the seminar.

Owing to the invitation sent by the Ministry of Education of Portugal, ESFTUG’s President, Maia Kobakhidze along with the ministers of education from various countries, including Georgia, in conjunction with leaders of Teachers Unions and education experts, participated in the Educational Ministerial in Lisbon. Because of this, the vice-president of the Educators and Scientists Free Trade Union, Natia Kordzadze greeted the teachers at the first day of the training. She wished effective working days to the Danish colleagues and training participants.

Natia Kordzadze shortly introduced the participants the Danish educational system and the results of the visit at the Danish schools. She talked about the current project and about the importance of the seminars planned under this project: “The Danish educational system is one of the best in the world. During our visit, we saw the Danish upper secondary schools, that impressed us.” On behalf of the ESFTUG members, she thanked the National Trade Union of the upper secondary Schools of Denmark (GL) for the implementing of this project, which will help our member teachers in development of their professional skills and raising their civic awareness.

The aim of the project is that the teachers, participating in the seminar, share all received information, news, experiences, skills to their colleges and introduce in the educational process.

At the last day of the workshop, ESFTUG’s president, Maia Kobakhidze and executive vice-president Mari Alugishvili joined the seminar. Maia Kobakhidze explained the main issues of Educational Ministerial in Lisbon. She also talked about the work of the ESFTUG, the goals, achievements and challenges of the organization. She noted that the organization is getting stronger as a result of teachers' confidence and support. The organisation has constructive dialogue with Georgian government, intensively with the Education and Science Ministry. ESFTUG is actively involved in the process of amending of legislative acts and bylaws.

Maia Kobakhidze, hoped that, the seminar participants will become more activate on their places, in case of strengthening the organization, “in order to reach each teacher”. Only with the intensive communication will be the teachers faithful to trade union ideas and sincere towards the trade union values. “Our goal is that the memebers of ESFTUG were motivated and active,”–said Maia Kobakhidze.

The executive vice-president, Mari Alugishvili gave the instructions to the workshop participants about the feedback and future activities. She introduced the activities of the past two seminars participants. Mari Alugishvili noted that for the project sustainability and knowledge sharing among the colleagues,the teachers created a closed groups in social networks that allowes intensive communication.

In the busy four days working process, Georgian teachers could not hide their fascinations and emotions received from the sharing of the Dutch colleagues' experience. The Georgian teachers together with the Dutch colleagues were forming the simulated games and were discussing needs based practical examples for the IT uses at the lessons.

At the end, according to the seminar program, the Georgian teachers in groups developed the future plan how to implement the Danish practice in the educational process and how to share the novelties to their colleagues, which will help the introduction of the learning-teaching modern approaches and creating the free environment in Georgian schools. Workshop participants agreed that they will use all materials, programs, activities and methods learnt at the training at their lessons and share the results to the Danish experts, as well as their colleagues.

In conclusion of the training all participants were awarded with the certificates.