The Council of Europe, in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, developed a Georgian model of School Participatory Budgeting (School PB) as part of piloting the methodology for the first time in Georgia, in Tbilisi Public School No. 177 and Zestaphoni Public School No. 4.
Council of Europe developed a Georgian model for School PB, including an advocacy plan and regulatory documents tailored to the Georgian context, taking into account recommendations from the expert camp, and an analysis of legal and policy frameworks in Georgia.
During the adaptation process, tools and materials for School PB were adjusted to the Georgian context along with the normative documents and a training concept with interactive tools such as the "Uchange SPB" game and relevant matrix. Followed by the two presentations in Tbilisi Public School No. 177 and Zestaphoni Public School No. 4, respectively on 9 and 10 November 2023.
The presentations in Tbilisi and Zestaphoni, attended by approximately 200 people, including schoolchildren, parents, teachers, municipality representatives, and officials from the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, aimed at introducing the adapted School PB model along with outlining future plans and steps.
Mayor of Zestaphoni, Vasil Gvelesiani, praised the attendees for their enthusiastic interest in the School PB methodology, emphasising the crucial role of engaging children and youth in decision-making processes. Drawing on his experiences from the Council of Europe's Study Visit to Austria, he highlighted the significance of such youth participatory practices.
Principal of Tbilisi Public School No. 177, Gela Odishelidze affirmed that the regulatory document for School PB has received approval from the school board, underscoring the school's readiness to pilot the School PB initiative, while students reiterated their eagerness and once again confirmed their willingness to be part of the first School PB in Georgia.
The pilot process will be followed by the adaptation of e-voting system for School PB projects, training for Uchange trainers and the practical implementation of the School PB instrument in pilot schools.
The piloting School PB in Georgia is implemented in the framework of the project “Strengthening Participatory Democracy and Human Rights at Local Level in Georgia”, implemented by the Directorate General of Democracy and Human Dignity, Division of Elections and Participatory Democracy within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2020-2023 with the financial contribution of the Austrian Development Cooperation.
