Government to pay tuition fees for disaster affected students
By Tea Mariamidze
Friday, June 19
Ministry of Education sets benefits for the disaster-affected students and pupils.
The Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Tamar Sanikidze made a statement and highlighted the benefits which will aid the disaster-affected students and pupils in Tbilisi.
The aforementioned natural disaster happened in the capital on June 13, when the river Vere overflowed and caused extensive flooding in the city centre, claiming the lives of 19 people and leaving hundreds homeless.
According to Sanikidze, the government will pay the tuition fees of 2015-2016 academic years for the students from disaster-affected families, as well as for future students who will enrol in the universities in 2015 or 2016.
Moreover, the Minister said that the pupils, whose computers and textbooks were lost or damaged during the flood, will receive new ones from the Ministry of Education.
“The psychological care will be provided for all affected students and their parents for free, if necessary,” Sanikidze said.
She also stated that the Ministry is gathering information about disaster-affected students and pupils and after this a special program will be developed and presented to the government on the next session for approval.
Sanikidze mentioned that the Ministry will cooperate with Ivane Javakhshvili State University to estimate the damage on the Hydrologic Laboratory on Svanidze street, which was damaged during the flood.
“After the experts have made a report, the restoration works of the laboratory will be planned and most likely the government will invest funds to help Javakhishvili University set up a new laboratory,” stated the minister.
It should be mentioned that the Hydrologic Laboratory of Ivane Javakhishvili State University has existed since 1962, where river Vere was observed. Nearly 560 students every year studied there.
