The Communications Commission and the European Union continue implementing a joint project designed to tackle the spread of disinformation. The project, titled “The Challenge of Disinformation: Developing Critical Thinking in Schools,” has already provided appropriate training to the teachers of vocational and public schools in Kvemo Kartli and Imereti. Most recently, 24 teachers from schools in various towns and villages in the Imereti Region, including Kutaisi, Khoni, Chiatura, Sachkhere, Vani, Gurni and Chorvila, were able to benefit from the initiative. 

Teachers are trained with the help of a creative and interactive module developed by guest experts specifically for this project. The training module is based on modern approaches and covers important topics such as critical thinking, various methods of identifying false information and methods of validating information. The module allows the participants to learn about the negative impact of misinformation and anti-western propaganda and find out about the mechanisms for tackling the spread of such disinformation. Teachers are taught practical methods of identifying false information through media literacy skills. Furthermore, the seminars help them obtain full information about European values and the EU-Georgia approximation process. 

The Communications Commission is training teachers in Tbilisi and all other regions of Georgia, including the regions with large ethnic minority populations. As part of the project, which is funded by the European Union and supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, up to 500 public school and vocational educational facility teachers will receive appropriate training to develop the critical and logical thinking skills that are crucial in the digital age. Certified teachers will use the experience obtained during training in practice and share their knowledge with the pupils.