Teachers in general education are recruited at the school level through open competition procedures, in accordance with Ministerial Order No. 174/N “Approval of the Rules for Commencing and Terminating the Activity of a Teacher”, regulating the commencement and termination of teacher activity.

The selection process is conducted by a commission established by the school director. The commission evaluates candidates and submits a recommendation to the director, who makes the final appointment decision.

Furthermore, for the public-school commission, the following must also be appointed as members: a representative of the relevant sectoral department of the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia, a representative of the educational resource center of the ministry's corresponding territorial body, a representative of the Legal Entity of Public Law – National Center for Teacher Professional Development, and a representative of the Teachers' Professional Union.

To be employed as a caregiver-pedagogue and teacher, candidates must meet the qualification requirements outlined in the Law on General Education and relevant professional standards. These include holding a subject-specific higher education qualification, completing a teacher training programme, or holding the right to teach.

Following the implementation of the country’s decentralization policy, kindergartens were transferred to local municipal management (2006). Consequently, the employment procedures for educational staff—including qualification requirements and selection processes—are based on the legal framework but are established locally according to municipal needs. While ensuring access to early childhood education and providing a high-quality learning environment remain shared responsibilities of central and local governments, the recruitment of educational staff and the funding of their professional development clearly fall under the municipalities' responsibility. Local governments are also tasked with ensuring decent working conditions for kindergarten staff, in line with the recommendations outlined in the State Standards for Early and Preschool Education and Care, as well as the Authorization Standards, and those articulated in the context of thematic inquiries by the Parliament of Georgia’s Education, Science and Culture Committee.

Entry into the Profession

In early childhood education, pedagogical staff (caregiver-pedagogues) are recruited at the municipal level. Qualification requirements are defined by the Professional Standard for Caregiver-Pedagogues. Transitional provisions apply until September 2028, allowing entry through different qualification pathways that combine education, relevant work experience, and completion of a professional training module. From September 2028 onwards, stricter qualification requirements will apply.

The Law governs caregiver-pedagogue employment conditions in Early and Preschool Education, as well as government decrees and Local Government-level regulations.

Entering the caregiver-pedagogue profession

• To enter the caregiver-pedagogue profession, interested candidates should comply with one of the requirements below by the year 2028:

  - Should have a Bachelor’s or equivalent academic degree in any direction/sphere/profession, should have at least 3 years of work experience as a caregiver, or other educational personnel or a helper assistant to the group, and should have successfully passed the training module ‘’caregiver-pedagogue professional development training module’’ decreed by Georgian legislation.

  - Should have a preschool caregiver-pedagogue vocational qualification/higher vocational 5-level qualification in preschool education.

  - Should have a professional qualification of caregiver, preschool upbringing or pedagogy, should have a caregiver, other educational personnel or group assistant personnel position work experience of at least 3 years and should have successfully passed the "caregiver-pedagogue professional training module’’ decreed in accordance with the Georgian legislation.

From September 1, 2028, a person entering the caregiver-pedagogue profession should comply with one of the following requirements:

- Should have a bachelor’s or equivalent degree in the education sphere, preschool upbringing and education sphere or equivalent to this degree, another academic degree.

- Should have at least a bachelor’s or equivalent to this degree, another academic degree in education, psychology, humanitarian sciences, art, occupational therapy, and language and speech therapy direction, and should have at least 1 year of group assistant position work experience and should have successfully passed the decreed according to Georgian legislation ‘’Caregiver-pedagogue professional development training module.”

Furthermore, a Special Education Teacher working with students with visual or hearing impairments, deaf blindness (multiple sensory impairments), severe/profound intellectual and/or multiple disabilities, or behavioural and emotional disorders must fulfil one of the aforementioned requirements and have completed a specialized certificate program tailored to the teaching of students with these specific needs.

Planning Policy

Teacher workforce planning is coordinated by MoESY and relies on demographic projections, needs assessments, and data from the Education Management Information System (EMIS). The Unified Strategy for Education and Science 2022–2030 prioritises addressing shortages in STEM, in rural schools, and of inclusive education specialists.

Caregiver-pedagogue workforce planning is coordinated by the Local Government and relies on demographic projections. The Unified Strategy for Education and Science 2022–2030 prioritizes addressing deep shortages of preschool education specialists, including caregiver-pedagogues.

Professional Status

Most caregiver-pedagogues and teachers are employed under contractual relationships defined by the Labour Code of Georgia and school statutes. Public preschool caregiver-pedagogues and public-school teachers are not civil servants but may hold fixed-term or permanent contracts. A national code of schoolteachers’ professional ethics applies through ministerial regulation.

Teachers are employed based on an employment relationship, which is regulated by the Labour Code of Georgia and the Minister of Education, Science and Youth Order No. 174/N on  „ Approval of the Rules for Commencing and Terminating the Activity of a Teacher“.

Replacement Measures

Kindergartens and schools may temporarily appoint substitute caregiver-pedagogues and teachers, selected through the same recruitment framework. Emergency recruitment in schools is allowed only under strict conditions when qualified personnel are unavailable. At kindergartens, caregivers are allowed to work with kids.

The school director has the right to employ substitute teachers in the school without competition. The need to employ a substitute teacher and the qualification requirements are regulated by the Law of Georgia on General Education.

Support Measures

Teachers and schools receive methodological support and consultations from Educational Resource Centres. Inclusive education support is provided by multidisciplinary teams established under amendments to the Law on General Education (2018).

Salaries

Caregiver-pedagogues salaries follow pay scales set by the Local Government.

In public schools, teachers' salaries are determined by the Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia's Order No.108/N "On Establishing the Minimum Amount and Conditions of Remuneration for Teachers in Public Schools", which includes the base salary and supplements to the base salary, among them the functional supplements for lead teachers and mentor teachers.

Working Time and Holidays

Caregiver-pedagogues workloads include contact and non-contact hours. Kindergarten holidays follow the Local Government's academic calendar.

Teachers' workloads include teaching hours, preparation, assessment, participation in school governance, and professional development activities, as defined by the Law on General Education and school internal regulations. School holidays follow the national academic calendar.

Promotion and Mobility

In public schools, career advancement is carried out in accordance with the Government of Georgia, December 31, 2025, Resolution No. 641 "On the Approval of the Scheme for Teacher Professional Development and Career Advancement"

Dismissal

Dismissal is governed by the Labour Code and school statutes, typically related to misconduct, staff reduction, or failure to progress in the professional scheme.

Retirement and Pensions

Caregiver-pedagogues and teachers retire under general state pension rules, with no profession-specific early retirement scheme.