Financing for equity in primary and secondary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to schools
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
In Georgia, education governance operates under a decentralised framework, with the Ministry of Education and Science responsible for setting policy, defining national standards, and overseeing the education system, while municipalities manage local delivery of services. Municipal responsibilities include school maintenance, teacher salaries, and procurement, ensuring that pre-primary, primary, and secondary education is effectively implemented in line with national strategies and curricula. The Ministry of Finance collaborates with the education ministry to allocate funding, providing financial oversight and ensuring alignment with broader fiscal priorities.
Education funding is primarily channelled through block grants to municipalities, which include earmarked allocations for schools. These grants are governed by legislation such as the Law on General Education and the Law on Local Self-Government, which delineate the roles of central and local authorities in financing. Municipalities distribute resources to schools based on national guidelines and local requirements, allowing flexibility while maintaining consistency across regions.
A central feature of Georgia’s financing model is the standard voucher system established under 2015 Resolution No. 476. This system sets a per-student financial norm, which is adjusted using coefficients to account for factors such as rural or mountainous locations, minority language instruction, and the presence of students with special educational needs. These adjustments ensure equitable funding for schools facing higher delivery costs. Voucher amounts are reviewed periodically to reflect changes in economic conditions, including inflation, ensuring that allocations remain responsive to schools’ evolving needs.
The entire funding framework is supported by strategic policy commitments, notably the 2022–2030 Unified National Strategy, which aims to increase the share of GDP devoted to education while promoting financial sustainability and equitable resource distribution across all levels of schooling.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Subnational governments, particularly municipalities, play a key role in administering education funding, although the system is largely guided by national frameworks. The central government provides funding to municipalities primarily through block grants, which include earmarked allocations for education and are determined based on population and local needs indicators.
Municipalities are responsible for distributing these resources to public schools, covering teacher salaries, school maintenance, utilities, and other operational costs. While they have some flexibility in managing expenditures, municipalities must comply with national standards and reporting requirements established by the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Finance.
2. Education resources to schools
Primary and secondary education in Georgia is mainly funded through public resources from national and local budgets. Funds are allocated to schools using a per-student formula, ensuring equitable distribution and adequate support for all schools, including those in rural and disadvantaged areas.
Voucher System
Georgia’s main mechanism for supporting disadvantaged schools is the per-student voucher system, which includes special coefficients and adjustments to address equity. Introduced during education reforms in the mid-2000s, the system allocates funding based on student enrolment, with higher amounts for schools in rural or mountainous areas, schools teaching in minority languages, and schools serving students with special educational needs. These adjustments aim to reflect higher operational costs and promote equitable access to education.
In 2015, Resolution No. 476 formalised the system by defining the financial norm per student and the standard voucher for general education. Each school receives a per-student voucher, adjusted by coefficients for contextual factors, and a fixed lump-sum allocation based on school size. Additional funding supports minority-language instruction, students with special educational needs, geographically isolated schools, and schools operating across multiple buildings.
Monthly allocations also cover targeted purposes such as salary supplements for senior or mentor teachers, maintenance of medical facilities, and general school upkeep. The Minister of Education and Science can designate schools requiring additional support and determine appropriate funding levels.
3. Education resources to students and families
School Accessibility: Transportation of Public School Students
The Transportation for Public School Students, part of the broader School Accessibility programme, has operated since 2013 to enhance access to education for students in remote, rural, and mountainous areas. Managed jointly by the Ministry of Education and Science and local municipalities, the programme provides school buses for students facing long or unsafe journeys, including those with disabilities who require adapted transport. The government funds bus purchases and maintenance, while municipalities typically manage routes and daily operations. Recent investments have expanded coverage and improved service reliability, particularly benefiting socially vulnerable children.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Child Protect Benefit
Introduced in 2015, the Child Protection Benefit (CPB) is administered by the Ministry of Labour, Health, and Social Affairs as part of the broader Targeted Social Assistance (TSA) programme. Its purpose is to reduce child poverty by providing financial support to families with children under 16. Eligibility is determined through a points-based system assessing socio-economic status, with families below a defined threshold receiving monthly payments. The programme is supported by partners such as UNICEF, which assist in refining the assessment process and expanding coverage to reach more vulnerable children.
5. School meal programmes
Georgia does not operate a nationwide, government-funded school meal programme for public schools. Schools are not legally required to provide meals, and most lack cafeterias or canteens. Although the Ministry of Labour, Health, and Social Affairs issued non-binding national guidelines on healthy school nutrition in 2015, the government does not allocate any state budget for school meals.
This profile was reviewed by Dr. Jan Herczyński.
