2024

Vocational and Technical Education Policy Document

The purpose of the Vocational and Technical Education Policy Document is determined as; “To increase access and quality of vocational education with sectoral collaborations by adopting the principle of “Everyone Should Have a Profession” and to contribute to the development and welfare of our country by ensuring that students are prepared for life and employment”. The Vocational and Technical Education Policy Document is based on 74 strategies in line with 3 policies under 3 main themes: Access to Vocational and Technical Education, Improvement in Vocational and Technical Education and Employment in Vocational and Technical Education.

Since August 2023, in more than 40 provinces, in line with the sector consultation and provincial evaluation meetings held with all stakeholders of vocational and technical education, the current problems in vocational education were identified and it was aimed to find solutions to the problem areas. In this direction, workshops were organized and top policy documents were analyzed in order to solve the problems identified. The Vocational and Technical Education Policy Document, which was prepared to create a new vision in vocational and technical education in line with the objectives prioritized by the 12th Development Plan, the Presidency 2024 Program, the 2024-2026 Medium Term Program and the MoNE Strategic Plan (2024-2028) in order to train the qualified workforce needed by our country, was published in the Official Gazette dated 10.08.2024 and numbered 32628 and entered into force.

Policies in the Vocational and Technical Education Policy Document

In order to make the education processes of students more qualified and to create an education process that adapts to the updates in business life; Developing educational environments in cooperation with the sector, increasing the vocational competencies of students in vocational and technical secondary education institutions by ensuring their participation in vocational training in enterprises in places where there is sectoral density on the basis of equality of opportunity, ensuring certain sector clusters in schools by implementing interrelated and mutually supportive vocational fields in terms of curriculum, teacher resources, workshop and laboratory equipment and the sectors they address, In order to strengthen adaptation to labor market needs on the basis of cooperation to combine the production experience and infrastructure of enterprises engaged in the production of goods and services with vocational education activities, the implementation of in-sector, sector-integrated, regional school and specialized school models, updating curricula in line with current developments in the sector, increasing the professional skills of teachers, and developing Sectoral Excellence Centers to gain sectoral experience.

In order to increase the employment opportunities of students receiving vocational education, which is one of the priorities of vocational education, it is planned to increase the entrepreneurship, finance, business administration, crisis management competencies of students, to create a database where graduates can be tracked, to ensure specialization in the vocational fields needed, to implement certificate and course programs, to organize vocational ethics and business pedagogy trainings for master trainers in order to ensure that sector employees are integrated into the education system, and to carry out studies for students to carry out vocational training in enterprises in international companies.

Promoting Inclusive Education for Kids in the Turkish Education System (PIKTES+)

Within the scope of the “Project for Promoting Inclusive Education for Kids in the Turkish Education System (PIKTES+)”, the Ministry supports early childhood education for Turkish and foreign children who will start primary school in September (5-6 age group) but have not benefited from pre-primary education in order to increase their school readiness and ensure that they start primary school on equal terms with their peers. Since November 1, 2022, when PIKTES+ started to be implemented, in order to increase access to early childhood education, screening activities were carried out in the project provinces during the summer period in order to direct foreign children to pre-primary education, to inform families about pre-primary education and to inform families about school enrollment. Since the beginning of the project, 23.915 children have benefited from early childhood education. In addition, in order to improve the quality of the educational environment, equipment, stationery and educational material sets are sent to schools providing early childhood education during the summer.

Digital is My Business Project

The project, which aims to contribute to the development of digital skills of women studying in public education centers by providing training in digital literacy and vocational fields, is carried out in cooperation with Vodafone Türkiye Foundation. Within the scope of the project, 2 different course programs (Digital Literacy and Digital Marketing) were prepared and included in the MoNE curriculum.

“Digital Literacy” and “Digital Marketing” trainings were provided to 5.117 and 9.365 women trainees in Phase I and Phase II of the project, respectively, and 86 trainees were employed. In Phase III of the project, “Digital Literacy” and “Digital Marketing” trainings were provided in 20 provinces (Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Hatay, İstanbul, İzmir, Kastamonu, Manisa, Mersin, Samsun, Sivas, Tekirdağ, Trabzon, Van), three of which were affected by the earthquake disaster, and a total of 15 container classrooms were established and equipped in Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş and Hatay. In Phase III, 752 trainings were provided and 28,458 female trainees were reached. Phase IV of the project, which has been ongoing since June 2024, continues with “Digital Literacy” and “Digital Marketing” trainings in 11 earthquake provinces (Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa). In addition, 11 “Digital Classrooms” were established in 11 provinces in this phase.

Supporting the Revolving Fund of Public Education Centers through Renovation and Amendment

The Supporting the Revolving Fund of Public Education Centers through Renovation and Amendment project, in collaboration with MoNE and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), aims to renovate the production workshops of public education centers in provinces with a high concentration of Syrians. The project aims to turn the products produced by Syrian and Turkish students in need into income and contribute to the revolving funds of public education centers. In this way, trainees can contribute to their family budgets with the professions they are trained in.

In 2022, textile and cookery workshops were established in Polatlı, Beypazarı and Çubuk Public Education Centers. In 2023, 27 workshops in 9 centers in 6 provinces were renovated and new equipment was provided. In addition, information technologies and textile equipment support was provided to some provinces. In 2024, 24 new workshops were established in 8 public education centers in 4 provinces and support was provided in textile and other fields. This project aims to increase the production capacity of public education centers and to generate more income for trainees.

Capacity Building of Public Education Centers Project

It was launched in 2024 with the aim of strengthening the institutional capacity of public education centers, increasing quality and efficiency in education and making lifelong learning activities more accessible and sustainable. The second phase of the project, implemented in 1000 public education centers across Türkiye, started in 2025 and is still ongoing. In April 2024, the project was invited to the Lifelong Learning Conference organized by the Belgian Presidency of Education in Brussels, where it was introduced at the international level and became one of the examples of good practice.

During the first implementation period, the current condition of the institutions was examined through self-assessments, field visits and data-based analyses; project management and R&D trainings were organized for center managers and staff, especially in the fields of R&D and project production. In addition, the digital infrastructure was strengthened and the effective use of the HEMBA platform contributed to the digitalization process of the centers.

Instructional Material and Digital Content Studies

The “Material Tracking System” developed by MoNE ensures that all content to be used in face-to face and distance education in primary and secondary schools is systematically reviewed and made available to students and teachers. The tegmmateryal.eba.gov.tr address, which can be accessed through the EBA platform, offers rich content for students and teachers. Approximately 3400 content has been uploaded so far, and illustrated English vocabulary cards and various digital content for grades 2-8 have been prepared and published for use in distance education.

In order to make the management of content more efficient, the Ministry aimed to collect all content in a centralized system through the EBA platform. In 2023, Turkish and English portals were opened and thousands of content was shared on these platforms. In addition, a Digital Technologies Area was created and a total of 270 pieces of content on digital security, literacy and software were published. The content production process is continuously improved through monitoring and revisions.

Increasing Employability for Syrians Refugees and Turkish Host Communities in the Renewable Energy Sector

The project aims to benefit 1800 Syrians under temporary protection and host community members over the age of 18 by increasing their employability through vocational trainings and skills certificates in the renewable energy sector. In the model provided under the project, the renewable energy sector can be an answer to important issues such as local and sustainable economic growth, green infrastructure investments, transition from low-skilled to trained labor, inclusion and accessibility to the energy sector, strengthening the capacities of local actors, community development, cohesion and integration. It is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The trainees who successfully completed the Renewable Energy Technologies Photovoltaic Solar Panels Installation and Integration into Hybrid System (Blended Learning Model) courses were able to both start their own businesses and be employed as intermediate staff in the sector by receiving EUROPASS Certificate. The model, which was prepared based on the policies of the Century of Türkiye and development goals, aims to contribute to important issues such as local and sustainable economic growth in the renewable energy sector, green infrastructure investments, transition from low-skilled to trained workforce, inclusiveness and accessibility to the energy sector, strengthening the capacities of local actors, community development, cohesion and integration. In this context, 11 “Renewable Energy Workshops” were established in 10 provinces and 1875 trainees were certified through 128 courses. At the same time, solar panels were installed in 4 public education centers, enabling them to meet their own energy needs. As a result of the employment data study carried out to evaluate the sectoral response of the trainings received, it was found out that 470 trainees were employed in the renewable energy sector or started their own business.

KALFA Program

The Cooperation Protocol on the Organization and Execution of Vocational Training Courses within the Scope of the KALFA Program between the Presidency of Defense Industry and the General Directorate of Turkish Employment Agency of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security was signed in 2023. In this context, the Presidency of Defense Industry and ISKUR cooperated to train qualified labor force. In order to contribute to raising the competent human resources needed by the defense industry ecosystem of our country, vocational training courses were organized through cooperation method to increase the qualified manpower trained in the f ield of defense industry vocational training courses are in the professions of structural analysis and design specialist, embedded systems specialist, radar and communication systems specialist, propulsion and engine systems specialist and cyber security specialist. An employment pool has been established by the Presidency of Defense Industry among the young people who have successfully graduated, and these people are employed in defense industry companies.

Vocational Education Cooperation with Universities

ISKUR, in cooperation with universities, technocity administrations and industrial organizations, organizes vocational training courses aimed at training intermediate staff and qualified workforce needed by the labor market.

In this direction, it is envisaged to organize vocational training courses between ISKUR and universities in a way that combines theoretical and practical training in cooperation with the public-private sector in order to train the workforce in the qualifications demanded by the labor market - especially in the fields of defense industry, artificial intelligence, cyber security, clean and sustainable energy, which are new occupational fields brought by the digitalizing industry.

Within the scope of the application, trainings are organized in cooperation with universities, Technology Development Zones Administrations (TDZ) or Organized Industrial Zones Administrations (OIZ) in line with the legislative regulation made by our Institution, and in this context, the theoretical part of the trainings is carried out within the university through trainers to be determined by the university, and the practical part of the trainings is carried out within the workplaces organized by the TDZ or OIZ.

Within the scope of the program, trainees are matched with employers after the theoretical training they receive at universities and are included in the applied training process, and at the end of the training, university-approved certificates are given to those who are successful as a result of exams and evaluations conducted by universities. Employers are required to employ the graduated trainees for a certain period of time. While ISKUR covers the necessary expenses, general health insurance and occupational accident and occupational disease insurance premiums of the trainees participating in the training, additional course fees are paid to the trainers within the framework of the training model. One of ISKUR’s main objectives is to expand this model and create more qualified vocational training programs across the country.

Improving the Quality of Vocational and Technical Education through the Establishment of Sectoral Centers of Excellence (METEK III) Project

Vocational Education and Sector Cooperation will be Strengthened with “15 Centers of Excellence” to be opened. With the centers of excellence to be opened, cooperation between social partners and the private sector will be increased by focusing on the training of teachers and administrators. Special field competencies of teachers working in vocational and technical secondary education institutions will be improved through on the-job learning and distance learning methods. These centers will ensure continuous development of teachers in vocational fields, vocational foreign languages, mathematics and science for vocational education. Among the sectoral centers of excellence, 14 of them cover 25 vocational fields and 1 of them covers vocational foreign language, mathematics and science for vocational education.

Reforms and Policies in Special Education

Distribution of Orbit Reader Braille Reading and Note Taking Devices: In cooperation with the Ministry and TURKCELL, 200 “Orbit Reader Braille Reading and Note-taking” devices were distributed to students with visual impairments, enabling them to audioize and take notes. Auxiliary Resources for Special Education Students: Auxiliary resource support packages were prepared for students with special education needs in subjects such as Turkish, Mathematics and Science, and 900 activities were published.

“BİR İZ” Special Education Program, In cooperation with TRT, the special education program “BİR İZ” for students with special education needs was broadcast on TRT EBA TV screens, and students were given the opportunity to showcase their skills through competitions and activities. Hearing Impaired Digital Education Platform for Students (İÇDEP), “İÇDEP” digital education platform for students with hearing impairment was established and rich content was provided.

EVKİT Portable Education Material were prepared to contribute to the education of individuals with special needs and distributed to home-schooled students in the first phase. Smart Cane Project, 3.200 smart canes were planned to be distributed to support the access to education and participation in social life of individuals with visual impairments, and 625 canes were delivered. Artificial Intelligence Supported Vocational Interest Inventory, an artificial intelligence-based vocational interest inventory is being developed to determine the vocational interests of high school and middle school students.

Addiction Research, a research on addiction (substance, technology, etc.) in young people aged 14-19, strengthened coping skills against risk factors. Strengthening Special Education Services at the Basic Education Level Project, an early intervention model for children with developmental disabilities was developed and an implementation plan was developed. Digital Content Development Studies, digital content suitable for the teaching objectives of science and art centers is prepared and made available to students and teachers on the EBA platform.

BİLSEM Teacher Academy, trainings for the development of gifted students are planned for teachers working in science and art centers. ÖBA Teacher Trainings, training content will be prepared for teachers for gifted students through the ÖBA platform and will contribute to their education processes. In-Service Training Activities for Teachers, 48. 207 in-service training activities were organized in 2023 and 6.810.684 teachers participated. Family Education Book Set, a comprehensive resource consisting of 53 books and 500 videos was prepared for the families of individuals with special education needs and guidance was provided to families. Material production and distribution activities are carried out to support the learning processes of students in need of special education, taking into account their individual differences. Within the scope of the “Special Materials for Special Children” project, 2.460 sets of materials were delivered to special education classes, support education rooms, special education kindergartens and, for the first time this year, to hospital classes.

The Special Education Children’s Magazine, which is prepared by our Ministry and makes a significant contribution to the meeting of our children with literature and the development of their imagination, is published twice a year. The magazine, which covers a different theme in each issue, offers a rich content with poems, fairy tales, stories and essays written by valuable writers and illustrators of Turkish literature, as well as pictures, cartoons and various activity pages.

In order to ensure unity of terminology in the field of special education and guidance and psychological counseling, a “Special Education and Guidance Dictionary” containing basic concepts was prepared. A comprehensive guide was launched to raise awareness of the educational needs of individuals with special needs and to inform relevant stakeholders (parents, teachers, school/institution administrators and other stakeholders). Within the scope of this study, it is aimed to prepare a guidebook to be published in fascicles, including information and current research on different types of disabilities (e.g. visual impairment, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, multiple disabilities, Down syndrome, special learning disability, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, language and speech difficulties, physical disability, twice different children) and gifted individuals. This study aims to bring the characteristics of individuals with special educational needs, their educational needs and innovative approaches to improve their quality of life to a wide audience. Each fascicle contains information such as the characteristics of the relevant type of disability, educational methods, current research conducted in the world, online resources (to be accessed with QR codes).