The International Publishers Association (IPA) has publicly criticised Georgia’s proposed shift to a single, government‑produced textbook for each subject and year. Under the current system, authors and publishers submit their works to the ministry, where specialist review panels evaluate them before approval. Schools then choose from several ministry‑approved options.
In the new model, the ministry would produce textbooks itself, selecting from its own pool of experts and adopting a “one book for all schools” principle. The Education Ministry says the change aims to streamline school education, but critics argue it could give the state undue control over content.
Jessica Sänger, Chair of the IPA’s Freedom to Publish Committee, warned that a single‑textbook policy severely restricts publishing freedom in education. “We urge the Georgian government to reconsider and create conditions for diverse resources for all types of learner,” she said.
Christoph Pienkoss, Chair of the IPA’s Educational Publishers Forum, added that the best educational outcomes arise when governments collaborate with teachers and publishers to offer a range of resources. He said, “Single textbook policies don’t do this; they deprive teachers of a broad range of expertise that can support them in their work, and the ratio between quality and costs is always negative.”
José Manuel Anta, Vice Chair of the EPF, echoed these concerns, stating that Georgian students deserve access to high‑quality resources from a competitive market and that teachers should be able to choose the best textbooks for their students.