Parliament’s Education, Science and Youth Affairs Committee has begun reviewing the initial draft of Georgia’s 2027 state budget. First Deputy Finance Minister Giorgi Kakauridze presented the draft, saying funding for the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth will increase by GEL 225 million to GEL 2.928 billion.
The ministry’s budget will include GEL 2.083 billion for preschool and general education, GEL 248 million for vocational education, GEL 248 million for higher education, GEL 127 million for inclusive education, GEL 95 million for science and research, and GEL 22.5 million for youth support. Overall education spending in the budget’s expenditure side will rise by GEL 400 million, including higher salaries for public school teachers, administrative staff and kindergarten employees.
The government also plans to finance free tuition at state universities as part of the higher education reform. A total of GEL 800 million from the consolidated budget will be allocated to capital spending in education. Kakauridze said real economic growth is forecast at 5% in 2027, while nominal GDP is expected to exceed GEL 126 billion. Inflation is projected to return to the 3% target, with the budget deficit at 2.5% of GDP and government debt at 31.6% of GDP.
Consolidated budget revenues are projected at GEL 37.531 billion, including GEL 29.52 billion in tax revenues, while expenditures will total GEL 37.562 billion. More than GEL 8.431 billion will be allocated to infrastructure and capital projects. Committee First Deputy Chair Giorgi Chakvetadze called the initial 2027 budget draft unprecedented in scale. The draft will continue to be reviewed by other parliamentary committees.
