Military-patriotic education in the schools will involve courses in civil defense and Georgia’s military history to “stimulating soldierly spirit” among pupils, Manana Manjgaladze, a spokesperson for the President, said on January 13.

President Saakashvili said on January 12, that Georgia should “definitely introduce military-patriotic education courses in schools.”

His spokesperson said on January 13, that the President wanted to release more details of the initiative about “military-patriotic education of our future generations.”

“These courses existed in schools in the past, but as a result of reform it will be absolutely new approach,” Manjgaladze said. “Military-patriotic education means training in civil defense; stimulating soldierly spirit, which historically was always in nature of people in Georgia; as well as courses in Georgia’s military history.”

Retired army officers would be recruited to lead these courses after undergoing trainings, she added.

Bacho Akhalaia, the Georgian defense minister, said on January 13, that MoD was actively cooperating with the Education Ministry to launch these courses from the next education year in September, 2010. He said that the project would initially be launched in several schools and would extend to all the schools at the later stage.

Courses, he said, would include basic skills in use of firearm and providing information about the army structure.