The Georgian government is setting up an inter-agency working group to develop a curriculum for “the Civil Defense and Safety Classes” in schools, the Georgian Education Ministry said on January 20, referring to what President Saakashvili described earlier as “military-patriotic education.”

“The course envisages such areas as civil defense, road safety, first aid, history of the Georgian Army and review of the Georgian armament,” the Education Ministry said in a statement.

In the ministry’s statement there is no mention of skills in use of firearm, as it was earlier said by Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia. 

The curriculum, which will be developed by specialists from the Education Ministry, Defense Ministry, Interior Ministry, Healthcare Ministry and Environment Protection Ministry, as well as by “foreign experts”, will be tabled in April, 2010, according to the Education Ministry.

The courses will be launched as pilot project in several schools and “based on the results and assessment of the pilot project, the Civil Defense and Safety course will be finalized and established as a new mandatory subject in every school” from September, 2010.