Curricula, Subjects and Course Hours
In vocational and technical secondary education, students receive education in the 9th grade for the vocational field that suits their interests, wishes and abilities. Students choose their vocational branches in the 10th grade and graduate by continuing these branches in the 11th and 12th grades.
At the secondary education level, there are common courses, field / branch courses, elective vocational courses / certificate course and elective courses determined by the Ministry according to school types. Common courses are as follows: Turkish language and literature, religious culture and ethics, history, geography, mathematics, history of Turkish Revolution and Atatürk’s principles, physics, chemistry, biology, philosophy, first foreign language, physical education and sports, visual arts/music, health and traffic culture. Students choose elective courses from the categories of academic studies and human, society, science; religion, ethics and values; culture, arts and sports.
Within the scope of extracurricular activities, each student has to perform at least 40 hours of social responsibility program duty until graduation. In addition, within the scope of “Lifelong Learning/Certification”, students can voluntarily take courses from distance or face-to-face education modules and their certificates are recorded in their e-portfolios.
In addition, in accordance with Article 1 of the Ministry of National Education Regulation on Social Activities in Educational Institutions, students may, in line with their interests and wishes, engage in student club and community service activities and all kinds of excursions, competitions, publications, shows, performances, theater, sports, debates and other similar activities, which are defined as social activities outside the classroom.
Curricula for the fields and branches taught in vocational and technical secondary education are jointly prepared and updated by representatives of the sector, relevant non-governmental organizations, universities and field experts and MoNE in a modular structure based on qualification-based outcomes and modular structure within the scope of national occupational standards, national qualifications, international standards and classifications, technological and economic developments and feedback from practice in line with the Turkish Qualifications Framework (TQF) prepared in line with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), labor market needs analyses. Vocational training center students choose their fields and branches starting from the 9th grade. In order to ensure national and international comparability, vocational and technical education programs are developed in a way to provide broad-based, field and branch-specific achievements, taking into account international standards and classifications (ISCED F, FOED, STCW, etc.). As of the 2023-2024 academic year, the updated vocational and technical secondary education programs have been implemented in 53 fields and 114 branches. In vocational training centers, education and training activities have been implemented in 39 fields and 193 branches since the 2024-2025 academic year.
The weekly course schedule and the programs applied in special education vocational high schools for students with hearing impairment are the same as the vocational and technical secondary education programs for students with normal development. Students with hearing impairment are exempted from foreign language courses upon request.
In special education vocational schools, which were opened to provide students with mild intellectual disability and visual impairment with vocational skills in addition to academic skills, the weekly class hours are 30 hours and all of them are compulsory. There is a 15-hour job training and vocational ethics course to prepare students for work and profession. In line with the new studies, 18 existing programs for special education vocational schools have been updated. Two new vocational programs (Family and Consumer Services - Marketing and Retail) were prepared for special education vocational schools. 18 workshop standards in special education vocational schools were updated and 2 new vocational workshop environment standards were prepared. In cooperation with the VQA, 6 vocational qualifications for individuals with special education needs (assistant pastry chef, assistant aisle attendant, assistant waste sorting worker, assistant quick service restaurant worker, assistant fermented product production worker, assistant bakery and bakery products production worker) were prepared.
The weekly timetable for students with moderate and/or severe intellectual disabilities and students with autism in special education application schools III is 30 hours. In addition to academic knowledge and skills, work and skill practices are also practiced in special education application schools at the III level. Based on this program, IEPs are prepared and the goals and behaviors in the IEPs are considered in the evaluation of individuals’ achievements.
The planning, allocation and follow-up of appropriations for workshops, laboratories, classrooms, equipment, maintenance-repair, heating fuel and equipment needs required for the effective implementation of practical education in vocational and technical secondary education institutions are carried out by the relevant central units. In addition, budgeting procedures are carried out in line with the equipment requirements of newly opened schools, institutions, fields and branches.
Teaching Methods and Materials
The curriculum of each course is a guide for teachers. The curriculum includes the general objectives of the course, the units, the outcomes of each unit and the topics. The curriculum may also include examples of activities, examples of process organization and evaluation, and explanations. The fact that textbooks have to be written on the basis of these programs provides guidance for teachers. Textbooks are examined and evaluated taking into account the need of all our students for easily accessible and interesting learning resources that include moral, humanitarian, national, spiritual and cultural values, that support the accurate and fluent use of Turkish, and that are easily accessible and interesting for more effective learning. Textbooks approved by the Ministry of National Education are distributed free of charge to students at all levels of education (public/ private schools). In addition, investments to improve the information technology infrastructure have been emphasized in recent years.
Each teacher is responsible for making the preparations required by his/her program for his/her course. At the beginning of the academic year in secondary schools, it is essential that each teacher makes an annual plan for the courses he/she teaches and that this plan is approved by the school principal. In education and training institutions, class teachers, field (branch) teachers and/or group teachers prepare and implement lesson plans in accordance with the annual plan.
Depending on the characteristics of the schools, apart from written exams, students do project and performance studies and seminars, conferences and similar studies for community service activities. Students are required to prepare at least one performance work from all courses in each semester and at least one project from each course in each academic year.
Textbooks/educational tools for the field and branch courses in the field/ branch framework curricula implemented in vocational and technical secondary education are prepared by MoNE and made available electronically and in printed form for students, teachers, the public and the relevant sector (meslek.meb.gov.tr).
Schools implementing special education programs for students with special education needs have educational tools within the framework of their curricula. These educational tools are sent in printed form every year in line with the demands of the schools and are also shared in digital environment. In addition, there are auxiliary resources for all students with special education needs, regardless of the type of school they attend, and these resources are delivered to students in printed and digital form. In order to ensure that these processes are carried out smoothly, the relevant central units carry out the planning, procurement and logistics processes for the supply of educational materials, the production and distribution of special education tools, and the development of information technology infrastructure in schools.