The Scope of the Law — What Education Law Covers
Public-school education law in Georgia is determined by the Law on General Education. Under Article 1 of the law, the legislation of Georgia in the sphere of general education consists of the Constitution, the constitutional agreement, international treaties and agreements, this law, other laws and sub-legislative acts. The law itself regulates the conditions for carrying out general educational activity, the principles of governance and funding, the status of every general educational institution irrespective of its organisational-legal form, and the rules of their foundation, activity, reorganisation, liquidation and authorisation.
This framework is precisely the space in which any legal question connected with the school is resolved — from pupils' rights to the institution's status.
The Core of Rights — Equal and Compulsory Education
Article 9 of the law forms the legal core of the system: everyone has the equal right to receive full general education, so as to fully develop his personality and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for equal opportunities for success. Primary and basic education are compulsory, and a pupil may not be left outside the system before completing the basic level.
The state is obliged to create a general education system and appropriate socio-economic conditions; the freedom of parental choice does not include the right to evade compulsory education.
The Institutional Regime — Authorisation
The institutional side is determined by Article 32 of the law: as a result of authorisation, a legal entity acquires the status of a general educational institution and the right to issue a state-recognised document. The term of authorisation is 9 years, and among the independent authorisation programmes the primary, basic and secondary level programmes are listed separately.
An institution is entitled to carry out only the programme indicated in the authorisation application — status is thus defined by the programme, not the other way round.