Two Deputy Education Ministers, Senior Officials Dismissed

Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Mikheil Batiashvili dismissed two of his deputies and some senior officials from the Ministry citing the need for “new energy, new vision and new staff policy” as the reason behind his decision.

Speaking at a news briefing on September 10, the new Minister named “increased access and quality of education, as well as creation of a competitive education system tailored to modern requirements” as one of the Ministry’s priorities.

  • Two of his deputies, Temur Murgulia and Lia Gigauri,
  • Head of the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement, Tamar Sanikidze,
  • Head of the National Assessment and Examinations Center, Maia Miminoshvili,
  • Head of the National Center for Teacher Professional Development, Giorgi Machabeli and
  • Director General of Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation, Manana Mikaberidze were dismissed from their positions.

Batiashvili spoke on the shortcomings in the education system, stressing that “systemic changes are needed to launch rapid reforms” and that “new team should implement these reforms with a new vision and more energy.” He also added that staff changes would further continue.

Long-serving officials

Lia Gigauri served as the Deputy Education Minister over the past five years. Temur Murgulia was appointed on his post in 2016. Tamar Sanikidze became the Head of the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement in June 2016. Earlier she served as the Minister of Education and Science.

Giorgi Machabeli was appointed as the Head of the National Center for Teacher Professional Development in 2014. Manana Mikaberidze served as the director of Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation since June 2017.

Maia Miminoshvili served as the Head of the National Assessment and Examinations Center in 2002-2007. In 2007 she was appointed as the Minister of Education and Science. Later in 2008, she was reappointed as the Head of NAEC. On May 28, 2012, then Education Minister Dimitri Shashkin sacked Miminoshvili because of disagreement between the ministry’s policy and Miminoshvili’s “personal position.”

After the Georgian Dream coalition came to power through the 2012 elections, Miminoshvili was reinstated to her previous position, where she served until recently.

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