214. According to article 22 of the Law, the State provides complete secondary education; education of pupils in the institutions of general education shall be financed for 12 years.

29. Under the Education Act, pre-school education is financed by the State. Primary education is compulsory. Basic education is provided by the State free of charge.

255. Primary schools admit children who reach the age of 6 in the year of entry. A student can be taught at the primary general education level until the age of 14 and at the basic general education level until the age of 18. There is no limitation on the age at which the secondary general education course may be completed (Education Act, art. 11.6-8).

 

240. According to the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs, the new Labour Code of Georgia entered into force in July 2006. Pursuant to article 4 of the Code, the labour capacity of the natural person shall commence at the age of 16, whereas that of a person under the age of 16 shall be subject to the consent of his/her legitimate representative or guardianship/tutorial body, provided the nature of the work involved does not contradict the minor’s interests, does not harm his/her moral, physical or mental development, and does not impose limitations on his/her right and ability to receive compulsory primary and basic education. It is only permitted to engage a minor under the age of 14 in work linked to sports, arts and cultural activities, as well as in advertising campaigns.

296. Georgian law establishes 16 years as the minimum age at which a labour contract may be concluded. In some cases the minimum age may be higher; for example, persons below the age of 18 are not allowed to perform heavy or unhealthy work or to work underground. In some cases a labour contract may be concluded at age 15, but this requires the consent of the government labour inspectorates. Furthermore, students at vocational, technical or special secondary schools may be hired for work on reaching the age of 14 subject to the consent of one of the parents or of the guardian. An essential condition for this is that the work to be performed must be light, must not be harmful to the minor's health, and must not interfere with his/her studies.

 

 

48.[…] In pursuance to the recent amendments the age of criminal responsibility has been lowered in Georgia from 14 to 12 years with respect to specific crimes […] The age of criminal responsibility was lowered with respect to the following crimes: deliberate murder; deliberate murder in aggravating circumstances; deliberate grave injury to health; deliberate less grave injury to health; rape; robbery, armed robbery; carriage of a cold steel by a person who has not attained 21 years or a person with previous conviction or a person convicted under administrative law for using drugs.

72. The Committee deeply regrets the decision of the State party to lower the minimum age for criminal responsibility from 14 to 12.

73. The Committee strongly urges the State party to reinstate, as a matter of urgency, the minimum age of criminal responsibility at 14 years, taking into account the Committee’s general comment No. 10 in which States parties are urged not to lower their minimum age of criminal responsibility to the age of 12 (para. 33) on the grounds that a higher age, such as 14 and 16 years of age, contributes to the juvenile justice system which deals with children in conflict with the law without resorting to judicial proceedings, providing that the child’s human rights and legal safeguards are fully respected, in accordance with the article 40(3)(b) of the Convention.

33. Under the provisions of the Criminal Code, criminal responsibility for minors begins at age 16. For persons having committed exceptionally serious crimes, criminal responsibility begins at age 14. Such crimes include murder, grievous bodily harm, rape, robbery, etc. (in all, 11 categories).