Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend A.Ismaylova / The Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Georgia, Namik Aliyev, said that at present the issue of closing Azerbaijani schools in Georgia is not a topic for discussion. According to the Ambassador, talks are being held with the Government of Georgia to raise the level of Georgian in Azerbaijani schools. The Diplomat said that the level of teaching Georgian at these schools is unsatisfactory.
In the near future, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan will hold a meeting with the Governor of Kvemo-Kartli, densely populated with Azerbaijanis, as well as with the Education Minister of Georgia. Aliyev said that discussions will be organized on the prospects of development of the schools. According to him, there are no intentions to close Azerbaijani schools in Georgia. The agenda includes teaching Georgian to Azerbaijanis.
Recently the State Committee for Work with Azerbaijanis Residing Abroad made an initiative to close Azerbaijanis schools in Georgia. The Head of the Committee, Nazim Ibrahimov, said that it is expedient to get a key education in Georgian because having no knowledge of Georgian; Azerbaijanis residing in Georgia will not be able to get jobs and will leave the country.
The Government of Georgia is protesting against the sudden closure of numerous schools and states that the process should be introduced gradually to 2010. Currently, 123 Azerbaijani schools function in Georgia.
In the 2005/06 academic year, only 47 out of 9,000 Azerbaijani pupils in Georgia entered universities in the country. Many Azerbaijanis leave the country. Azerbaijan's State Committee raised the question of changing Azerbaijani Schools to Georgian schools.