Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer expressed his pleasure for signing the biggest education investment protocol of the last 20 years and stated that his Ministry continues to work day and night in an effort to increase the quality of human resources.

 

"For the last 20 years, we have witnessed an important transformation in education and we have been breaking records in the schooling rate in the last two decades," said Özer.

 

"Number of people in our education system is higher than the total population of many countries"

Özer stressed that the state made important investments in education in the 2000s and the total number of people in the education system in Türkiye is higher than the total population of many countries.

 

"We have made investments in order to increase the quality of education. Approximately 75 percent of existing teachers were appointed in the last 20 years. I would like to express my gratitude to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the hero of the last 20 years and statesmen who allocated the largest share of the budget to education," stated Minister Özer.

 

Özer stressed that TOBB also made an important contribution to the transformation of vocational education which was seriously damaged during the February 28 process.

 

"TOBB made investments for the reinforcement of vocational education and know-how training programs. We have cooperated with TOBB in the establishment of 81 vocational and technical high schools in 81 cities. Later, the number of vocational high schools established in cooperation with TOBB reached 116," said Özer.

 

Goal is to enroll 1 million students in vocational education centers until the end of 2022

Minister Özer went on to say that, "Our goal is to enroll 1 million students in vocational education centers until the end of 2022. There is no age limit for the applicants. I believe that these centers will solve the human resources problem in the labor market."

 

"Face-to-face education will not be suspended due to positive cases"

Minister Özer also touched upon the issue of face-to-face education during the protocol ceremony. Noting that Covid-19 pandemic caused an unpredicted economic and political transformation in the world and none of the countries were prepared against the pandemic.

 

"Education was hit worst due to the pandemic. We continued distance education for approximately one and a half years. We adamantly continue face-to-face education for five days a week. Teachers worked with sacrifice and students followed pandemic rules. In other words, we will not suspend face-to-face education due to Omicron variants and positive cases."

 

"Schools are among the safest places"

Minister Özer stated that the first term of the school year revealed that schools were among the safest places for students.

 

He went on to say that, "Schools are the places where students also achieved their psychological, emotional and personal development. Due to this reason, we will adamantly continue face-to-face education."

 

"TOBB made a total of 3 billion and 587 million lira investment in education"

TOBB Chairman Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said during his speech at the protocol ceremony that education is a prior issue of the country and TOBB cooperates with the Ministry of National Education for the establishment of new schools.

 

"TOBB made a total of 3 billion and 587 million lira investment in education," stated Hisarcıklıoğlu.

He noted that their goal was to reinforce the role of the private sector in vocational education and reminded that TOBB previously signed Cooperation in Vocational Education Protocol with the Ministry for the establishment of vocational and technical high schools in all cities of the country.

 

In addition to the recent contribution protocol, TOBB signed, "My Profession, Job and Internship Program Protocol" with the Ministry.

 

"The protocol programs will allow students and graduates of vocational high schools and education centers to be employed in the biggest companies of our country. Till now, we have established 153 education institutions and this new protocol will increase this number to 307," said Hisarcıklıoğlu.