On November 18, 2023, parents of students from Akhaltsikhe Public School No. 2 organized a protest in the schoolyard, demanding that their children return to their own school building. Parents accused the authorities of delaying school rehabilitation and harming the students’ education. Children also joined the demonstration, holding banners that read “Return us to school.”

In January 2023, more than 400 students were transferred from Public School No. 2 to Public School No. 1 due to a planned rehabilitation project. However, despite the closure, the renovation of the school building never began.

Parents questioned the government’s reasoning, pointing out that during the pandemic, the school underwent repairs: restrooms were renovated, and the plumbing system was replaced. “It is unclear how the building was suddenly declared unsafe at the beginning of this year,” one parent said.

The transfer created significant difficulties for students. Protesters explained that each lesson was shortened by up to 30 minutes, while children attending the second shift finished classes late in the evening, leaving them without enough time for rest or extracurricular activities.

At the protest, Khatuna Khmaladze, head of the Akhaltsikhe Resource Center, promised that the tender documents for the school’s rehabilitation would be published in January 2024. However, by June 2024, no tender had been announced, and students continued to study in another school building.