Ali Reza, Deputy Director General of the Directorate of Lifelong Learning, stated that the Turkish government is seeking to build 500 schools of 25 classes at a cost of 8 million Turkish liras per school to contain students who have dropped out of school. Turkey also needs to build 250 new schools annually for its students.
And that was during a meeting with the Syrian Education Authority “Elm” on Saturday, September 24, as announced by the authority, In it, Reda said that the number of Syrian children who dropped out of school exceeded 550,000 children. In the new 2016/2017 academic year, 340,000 students go to school.
Reda pointed out that the issue of children who dropped out of school is worrying for the Turkish government and has a dimension that affects the organic composition of society, He explained that the educational reality in Turkey is different from the situation in the Syrian regime, where students in Turkey are forced to complete secondary school.
Reda stated that the number of primary school students enrolled in Turkish schools reached 90 percent. While the number of students enrolled in Turkish schools is gradually decreasing, reaching 10% at the secondary level. He added that the success rate in secondary exams does not exceed 60 percent.
“The long-term strategic plan for these students includes cooperation and striving to secure the future for them, as we strive for our Turkish students.”
Reda said that Syrian students were integrated with Turks in all educational stages, primary, preparatory, and secondary, so that they could receive a joint education. They study in Turkish schools, but they are not allowed to be accepted into temporary Syrian schools.
He added that cities that cannot enroll first, fifth and ninth grade students in their schools will initially open special centers for first grade students only, This includes Gaziantep, Urfa, and Kilis, which do not have schools capable of accommodating Syrian students.
Reda called for cooperation in directing students to imams and preachers schools. He pointed out that there are 30,000 vacant seats in imams and preachers’ schools. And 317,000 vacant seats in Anadolu State schools for the secondary vocational stage, And 47 thousand vacant seats in vocational education centers.
The Turkish government’s plan includes the rehabilitation of 17,000 teachers this year
Ali Reza announced that after meetings with international organizations interested in the Syrian educational reality, it was concluded that teachers will be given a monthly salary of at least 1,300 Turkish liras – close to the minimum wage in Turkey – and that $10 will be provided as petty cash for the school for each student.
He pointed out that there were errors in the textbooks that were printed and there was a need to review them, Stressing that there is an order from the President of the Republic, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in this regard, And that the curriculum should not conflict with the principles of the Turkish state.
Reda said that 500,000 books will be printed to teach the Turkish language and distributed to Syrian schools, and that teachers will be dedicated to teaching the Turkish language in schools. However, he pointed out that the Turkish Ministry of Education refused to print books.
Reda stressed that the directorate is conducting studies and consultations to develop a general long-term plan for the educational sector, the status of teachers, and what will happen after the full integration of Syrian students into Turkish schools. Through teaching Arabic, translation, Participation in curriculum writing And teaching in the schools of imams and preachers. He called on Syrian teachers to pay attention to learning the Turkish language well.
