From Policy to Practice: Challenges and Opportunities in Bilingual Preschool Education in Georgia (Sakartvelo)

In Georgia (Sakartvelo), a program promoting bilingual education in preschool institutions was formally adopted in 2020. It aligns with the objectives of the 2021–2030 State Strategy for Civic Equality and Integration Plan, which envisions a comprehensive reform of bilingual education across Georgia’s regions. Any reform requires research and evaluation to measure how effectively it is being implemented and whether the intended outcomes have been achieved. The bilingual education initiative pursues a dual objective: to preserve the native languages of minority communities while ensuring effective acquisition of the state language. This dual mandate is intrinsically linked to state language policy and constitutes a sensitive issue for local communities, parents, and preschool administrators, thereby necessitating a careful and nuanced approach. The present study analyzed the readiness of the social environment to support the implementation of bilingual education programs at the preschool level in the regions of Georgia in which ethnic minorities live side by side. Research was carried out in two ethnically diverse regions—Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe–Javakheti. The author conducted individual and group interviews, and the elicited data were analyzed with the help of content and thematic analyses. This study examines key attributes of the ongoing preschool reform to identify factors that facilitate the effective implementation of early bilingual education initiatives. The findings highlight both commonalities and regional variations in parental attitudes toward the bilingual education reform.