"I am delighted to have the opportunity to address you on this special day, within the framework of the National Teacher Prize award ceremony.
This date has been chosen in the most honourable and logical manner – it is the birthday of Iakob Gogebashvili, October 27.
It has been 185 years since the birth of this great Georgian educator, the founder of scientific pedagogy in Georgia, publicist, children’s writer, public figure and the creator of ‘Ai Ia’ (elementary alphabet textbook)”, - the Speaker, H.E. Shalva Papuashvili stated in his address at the National Teacher Prize award ceremony.

According to him, our children are our future, and the future of our children is determined by the parents together with the pedagogues.

“Georgia’s modern knowledge, education, pedagogy, the Georgian language and alphabet constitute the foundation of our national identity. This was established in a scientific and universal form by Iakob Gogebashvili. Since then, this practice and legacy have remained unbroken despite the many hardships our country has endured over the past century and a half.
Today, we have both the honor and the responsibility to safeguard our homeland’s greatest treasures — the accumulated knowledge, national consciousness, and future generations.
A teacher represents, and must always represent, the highest value of a nation like ours, one that has weathered so many challenges, because it is you who stand as the bridge between the past and the future, between our ancestors and our descendants.
The present, a product of the past, is the progenitor of the future.
Our future lies in our children — and it is you, teachers, alongside parents, who shape that future.
That is why, on this symbolic day, we present the National Teacher Prize — to once again highlight the teacher’s role, dedication, and service to generations, to the nation, and to our homeland”, - he stated.

The Speaker reviewed the scheduled education reform, stressing that the teachers play a pivotal role in the successful realization of the reform.

This is a significant day as the Prime Minister of Georgia announced a major and fundamental reform of the country’s education system.

"We anticipate a thorough and comprehensive rethinking and integration of the education sector with the state’s labor, knowledge, and science systems — the kind of transformation that our country, its independence, its history, and its sovereignty truly deserve.
In this process, of course, the role of teachers, educators, and scientists is of utmost importance. The appreciation of your work and the growth of its productivity must lead to more tangible and meaningful results. This is precisely how we will build a united, strong, and future-oriented Georgia”, - the Speaker accomplished his address.

The President of Georgia, H.E. Mikheil Kavelashvili; the Prime Minister, Mr. Irakli Kobakhidze; and the Education, Science and Youth Minister, Mr. Givi Mikanadze also addressed the attendees.

Ten teachers were awarded the 2025 National Teacher Award and a cash prize of 10,000 GEL for their outstanding contribution to the development of the education system and society.

National Teachers’ Day is annually celebrated on the birthday of the Georgian educator Iakob Gogebashvili on 27 October. A prominent figure in scientific pedagogy, publicist and children’s writer, Gogebashvili is recognised for founding the discipline in Georgia.

The ceremony was attended by the representatives of the legislative and executive authorities, teachers and invited guests.