USAID Civic Education Program

USAID Civic Education Program (2022 – 2027)

PH International – Georgia implements the USAID Civic Education Program. The goal of the program is to educate young people with high civic awareness and involvement in civic processes. The program includes the introduction of technologies in the teaching and learning process of civic education, promoting the development of democratic culture in schools, and connecting businesses and schools.

About the program

650 schools have been selected to participate in the program. The list of schools has been approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. The program will work with students from grades 7 to 12, teachers, and school administrators. USAID's Civic Education Program will assist partner schools over five years in the following areas:

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1. Creation of interactive learning resources for civic education;
2. Working with school principals to introduce a democratic culture in schools, school management forums, sharing experiences among principals, identifying and rewarding leading schools;
3. Supporting school principals to ensure a participatory, democratic school environment;
4. Creation and support of a network of student self-governments;

5. Funding of school projects;

6. Strengthening cooperation between teachers of different subjects to promote civic education in schools;

7. Support for school civic clubs;

8. Participation in annual civic education conferences and exhibitions;

9. Organizing digital laboratories, hackathons, and online summer schools for students and teachers;

10. Improving the connection between school and university.

Special attention will be paid to cooperation between schools and the private sector, and business forums will be held for business and school representatives, where students and other school representatives will present their needs and ideas to businesses and receive support from them.

A small grants program will be implemented to encourage school initiatives, which will contribute to the establishment of student self-government in schools, on the one hand, and the introduction of a democratic culture in schools, on the other.

Grants will also be awarded to youth organizations that will support students and teachers in implementing initiatives that are beneficial to the school and society.

Universities will also receive grants, and the school practice of future teachers/students will be supported. During the school practice, students will work with student self-governments and clubs and help them implement projects.

USAID's Civic Education Program will be implemented by PH International (Project Harmony) in conjunction with the following partner organizations:

Civic Education Teachers' Forum 

It will offer teachers many opportunities for professional development, organize a forum for democratic schools, and showcase best practices. Democratic schools will be identified and awarded through a competition. The winning schools in the competition will share their experience with other schools in their region and throughout Georgia and will hold a conference exhibition of civic education teachers, where the best civic education teachers will be awarded. It will organize online Olympiads in civic education, create civic education board games, and a collection of illustrative projects.

Givi Zaldastanishvili American Academy in Tbilisi

The American Academy will establish a network of student self-governments to facilitate the sharing of experiences among students from different schools and the planning and implementation of student projects. The American Academy will introduce its experience in student participation in school life and democratic school management to the schools involved in the program, and visits and online meetings will be held to share experiences. Seminars will be held for teachers in the Harkness teaching methodology, which includes teaching through discussion. It will develop digital civic education courses and learning resources for schools.

Geolab

Geolab will create a civic education portal, which will host various digital resources for students and teachers. These resources will help schools conduct civic education lessons and activities in an interesting way. Teachers will be trained in the use of technology in the educational process. Students will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge in web design, programming, and the creation of mobile applications and civic education games. Using this knowledge, they will effectively implement civic education projects.

American Organisation "Resonance"

It will help the program mobilize the private sector to support schools and strengthen connections between schools and business companies so that businesses can finance student and school initiatives. Over 5 years, 11 regional partner organizations will work with the program's partner schools in Tbilisi and all regions of Georgia.

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Regional Partner Organizations 

Schools will be provided with resources for student projects. They will promote the active participation of students in school life. They will provide assistance to school principals and teachers, ensure that their successes are shared with other schools, and demonstrate best practices. They will help schools establish useful connections with local governments and businesses. They will organize internships for students in various companies, which will help students in their professional orientation. 

1. Tbilisi – "Tbilisi Youth House" Foundation
2. Adjaria – Batumi Education, Development and Employment Center
3. Kvemo Kartli – Georgian Association of Educational Initiatives (SIQA) 
4. Kakheti – Media Center Kakheti
5. Imereti – Research-Intellectual Club “Dialogue of Generations”
6. Samtskhe-Javakheti – Akhaltsikhe Youth Center
7. Guria – Institute of Innovation and Change
8. Samegrelo - Zemo Svaneti – Association “Atinati”
9. Shida Kartli – Samtskhe-Javakheti – Society “Biliki”
10. Mtskheta-Mtianeti – Mtskheta-Mtianeti Committee of the National Network for Protection from Violence
11. Racha-Lechkhumi – Lower Svaneti – AbkhazInterkont Foundation