The guests from Denmark called the cooperation and dialogue between the social partners– ESFTUG and Minister of Education and Science of Georgia - effective and open: "it was interesting to listen the dialogue between Deputy Minister and Trade Union’s leader, about the ways how to improve teachers’ social-economic and professional conditions and how to enhance teachers’ qualification. Pleasant was the fact that cooperation between the Ministry and Trade Union is open and based on respect. During the meeting, even different opinions were going in a constructive way. I think the union members should be proud of their trade union“ - said Dutch experts.

“The aim of Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia is to create a main axis of system development, that Georgia could occupy a place between the European developed countries in direction of education quality”–said the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Lia Gigauri.

The President of ESFTUG, Maia Kobakhidze, with the expert-teachers from upper-secondary schools of Denmark - Catherine Lonholdt and Lis Rydahl Eilertzen met the Vice- Minister, Lia Gigauri. The meeting was attended by the ESFTUG Executive Vice-President, Mary Alugishvili and the chief editor of GL magazine - Morten Jest.

ESFTUG President Maia Kobakhidze thanked the Deputy Minister for the result-oriented cooperation and for the support in the implementation of the solidarity project – “Partnership on promoting education policy capacity, advocacy and school development in Georgia”. She gratefully noted the support and assistance of Ministry to the seminar participants. They were free from schools for 2 working days without the salary deductions.

The ESFTUG president spoke about the importance of workshops, planned within the 18-month project, for Georgian teachers' professional skills development and qualification improvement.

The Deputy Minister, Lia gigauri, introduced the Dutch guest the challenges, which stands today before the education system of Georgia. She talked about the reforms carried out last 20 years. She noted that the aim of Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia is to create a main axis of system development, that Georgia could occupy a place between the European developed countries in direction of education.

The Deputy Minister drew attention to the effective and teachers’ needs-oriented activities of the Educators and Scientists Free Trade Union of Georgia.

"For us, one of the main challenge is teachers' professional development and enhancing their qualification. Therefore, every project, every activity is important, that is associated with teachers ' qualification growth. Thanks to the trade union, for its effective and real assistance, which it provides in the case of development of teachers’qualification“-said the Deputy Minister. She noted that from January the house of teachers will begin the new stage of workshops for the primary teachers.

The next important issue on which the Deputy Minister spoke was textbooks. She noted that changes are ready for the textbooks.

Mrs. Lia Gigauri also mentioned the issue of the school decentralization and noted that the principals are not only technical managers, they also need to care on improvement and quality of school process. One of the main problem of the most schools in Georgia is improvement of infrastructure of the building and supply them with modern technologies. Solving this problem is associated with quite a large amount and the Ministry step by step carries out the rehabilitation of the schools in capital and regions of Georgia. Also the new schools is going to build.

The Deputy Minister also mentioned the teachers 'salaries issue and noted that the teachers' salaries will increase according to the country's economic growth.

Interesting and important was the Deputy Minister’s answer at the question of the GL magazine chief editor - Morten Jest – “What would you do you, if you were the president of ESFTUG ?“

"Maia Kobakhidze is a leader who knows where and when to express the protest and where and when to cooperate. I am glad that trade union has such a leader, and this organization tries to protect teachers ' rights and interests in all levels of government, and the result is – teachers’ favor decisions. The result of the constructive, effective, and teachers' interest-oriented activities among the Ministry and Trade Union is the sectoral agreement, signed in current year. With this agreement we took the obligations of cooperation for improvement of employees’ conditions“ - said Lia Gigauri.

The meeting with the Deputy Minister was very impressive and interesting for Dutch colleagues: it was interesting to listen the dialogue between Deputy Minister and Trade Union’s leader, about the ways how to improve teachers’ social-economic and professional conditions and how to enhance teachers’ qualification. Pleasant was the fact that cooperation between the Ministry and Trade Union is open and based on respect. During the meeting, even different opinions were going in a constructive way. I think the union members should be proud of their trade union“ - said Dutch experts.