Teaching Georgian is a serious challenge in the regions populated with ethnic minorities. According to 2009 research made by Teacher Professional Development Centre (TPDC) 30% of the Georgian language and literature teachers did not have a command of conversational Georgian. Very often the 12^th graders do not understand simple questions in Georgian as: “What’s your name?”, “How old are you?” or “What is your surname?”.

State program “Teach Georgian as a Second Language” is initiated by the President of Georgia. This program sends qualified teachers of the Georgian language and literature to those  non-Georgian schools in Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli and Kakheti which are located in the areas populated by  ethnic minorities and which at the same time lack qualified teachers of Georgian language.  Teachers selected within this program receive a monthly remuneration in the amount of 1000 GEL.

In 2009-2011, up to 800 teachers participated in the competition. Based on the written test and interviews 69 participants had been selected. In 2011 only certified teachers were chosen. All the finalists went through the trainings provided by the TPDC  in ‘Teaching Georgian as a second language” methodology, “ethnic and religious tolerance", and basic Azerbaijani/Armenian language.

Teachers who won the competition were employed in the regions of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli and Kakheti populated by ethnic minorities. This year additional staff will be sent in Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti. Almost 100% of the population in these villages is either Armenian or Azeri, for them Georgian is a foreign language; Large part of the population does not understand Russian either. Therefore, a new teacher has to know the local language at an elementary level in order to establish communication with the community, involve teachers and other teachers in community events.

Selected villages are remote and hard to access from the district centers. The roads are deteriorated and availability of transportation is a serious problem. With low income, it is hard to motivate and raise interest of the new personnel, while the local staff does not speak Georgian. Teachers within this program often need to convince parents that education is very important for their child and that a student should go to school and receive education.

After the arrival of a new teacher, there is a language learning group “Georgian language Club” composed in the village. The club is comprised of university applicants, policemen/women, teachers, parents etc. Participants practice conversational Georgian in the club. They make up tests together and practice verb conjugation. Some communities demonstrate outrageous interest, so that several clubs are operating in a village. New Teacher is responsible to organize training courses for local Georgian teachers; Very often local teachers' knowledge is so poor that new teacher should start teaching from beginner's level.

The Center provided the necessary inventory, audio-video equipment, visual aids and stationary to the schools, so that teachers have all necessary support to arrange and run the clubs successfully.