Experts are Worried about the Quality of Education in Georgia
Undoubtedly, education is one of the most problematic aspects in Georgia. It is of no surprise that this problem mostly touches the students. One of the main arguments of critics is the low level of the reading literacy among young students. In this context an objective picture can be drawn by the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). PIRLS studies the reading achievement and reading behaviors and attitudes of 4th-grade students in the United States and in other countries. This is the successor to the IEA studies that started in 1970 and since 1991 it has been working with the Reading Literacy Study. The study mainly consists of a survey that includes a written reading comprehension test and a background questionnaire. These reading assessments are developed by the PIRLS Reading Development Group (RDG) and National Research Coordinators (NRCs) from participant countries.
Georgia’s score in 2011 was 488, which has increased by 17 units compared to the 2006 study. However it is still below the PRLS Scale center point - 500. It must also be noted that Georgian private schools did much better than public schools, as they gained approximately 542 and 482 points respectively. Children in cities also showed higher results (H”499) compared to those who live in villages (H”465). According to the experts, the economic situation, parents’ level of education and teachers’ qualifications are the major factors, which affect these numbers. Beside all these factors, the experts give more importance to the problem of decentralization.