2024
Vocational and Technical Education Policy Document
The Vocational and Technical Education Policy Document, which was prepared to create a new vision in vocational and technical education in line with the 12th Development Plan, the Presidency 2024 Program, the 2024-2026 Medium Term Program and the MEB Strategic Plan (2024-2028) in order to improve the problematic areas identified in vocational and technical education and to train the qualified workforce that our country needs, was published in the Official Gazette dated 10.08.2024 and numbered 32628.
(https://mtegm.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2024_08/12093255_meslekiveteknikegitimpolitikabelgesi.pdf)
By adopting the principle of 'Everyone Should Have a Profession', it is aimed to increase access to and quality of vocational education through sector collaborations, and to contribute to the development and welfare of our country by ensuring that students are prepared for life and employment. The VTE Policy document is structured on 3 themes and 3 policies related to the 3 themes. With the policies that embody the themes of Access to Vocational and Technical Education, Improvement in Vocational and Technical Education, and Employment with Vocational and Technical Education:
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A flexible system that can respond to individual and sectoral needs and increase access and participation opportunities by making vocational and technical education more effective will be created.
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In close cooperation with social and economic sectors, a competent workforce that adopts vocational competence, Ahi culture, professional ethics and values, is innovative, entrepreneurial, productive and provides added value to the economy will be trained.
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In vocational and technical education, the interaction between education, employment and production will be strengthened and experience will be shared through international cooperation.
CHANGES IN LEGISLATION
These legislative changes made in the 2023-2024 Academic Year are important steps taken to strengthen vocational and technical education, train a qualified workforce that will meet sectoral needs, and ensure equal opportunities in education. Summary information regarding these legislative changes made in the 2023-2024 Academic Year is provided below:
New School Models Directive: In order to strengthen vocational education by cooperating with businesses in regions where there is a sectoral concentration in vocational and technical education and to diversify the business models of schools, the “Directive on the Procedures and Principles Regarding MEB Regional School, Specialized, Intra-Sector and Sector-Integrated Vocational and Technical Secondary Education Institutions” has entered into force.
(https://mevzuat.meb.gov.tr/dosyalar/2207.pdf).
Skills Development Program (Support and Training Courses Directive): An amendment has been made to the MEB Support and Training Courses Directive for skill development programs to be implemented to enable students studying in official and private, formal primary and secondary education institutions to discover their talents and acquire basic skills (https://mevzuat.meb.gov.tr/dosyalar/2020.pdf).
Regulation on Selection and Assignment of Directors: An amendment has been made to the Regulation on Selection and Assignment of Administrators to Educational Institutions Affiliated to the Ministry of National Education, which regulates the procedures and principles regarding the assignment of those who will carry out the management of official educational institutions affiliated to the Ministry of National Education. In this context, at least two of the assistant principals of vocational and technical education institutions will be workshop and laboratory teachers. In addition, it has been ensured that an additional five points are given to workshop and laboratory teachers in the assignment of assistant principals to vocational and technical education institutions (https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=38297&MevzuatTur=7&MevzuatTertip=5).
MEB Sectoral Excellence Centers Directive: A directive has been prepared to develop activities that support the continuous professional development of teachers and their adaptation to developments in the sector, based on cooperation between the sector and social partners related to vocational and technical education, and to carry out studies on the development of teaching programs and course materials for the fields and branches taught in vocational and technical education, and to regulate the procedures and principles regarding the establishment, operation and duties of sectoral centers of excellence planned to be opened within the vocational and technical secondary education institutions affiliated to MTEGM and in the designated work offices, as well as the personnel of these centers. The directive entered into force with the Official Approval dated 30.04.2024 and numbered 101393051 ( https://mevzuat.meb.gov.tr/dosyalar/2208.pdf ).
Regulation on Opening, Closing and Naming Institutions: A regulation was prepared in order to open schools in buildings and facilities belonging to the sector under the MTEGM, to remove the conditions for opening thematic MTALs, to facilitate the opening of vocational training centers in organized industrial zones, to include the teachers' board in the field opening and closing processes, and to determine the conditions for opening practice hotels (https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=23698&MevzuatTur=7&MevzuatTertip=5).
The Project for Supporting Inclusive Education for Children in the Turkish Education System (PIKTES+)
Within the scope of the project to support inclusive education for children in the Turkish Education System, the following activities are carried out to increase the access of foreign students to schools, facilitate their integration into the Turkish education system and ensure that they receive quality education:
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Providing transportation services to foreign students and socio-economically disadvantaged Turkish students
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Remedial training
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Support training
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Turkish language training
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Arabic language training
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Development of Turkish language education programs and materials
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Distribution of Turkish teaching materials and supplementary resources
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Support for early childhood education
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Providing psycho-social support and guidance services
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Employment of Turkish instructors, Arabic instructors and guidance counselors in schools
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Providing in-service training to teachers
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Providing training for managers and other personnel working under the Ministry of National Education
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Providing cleaning and security services for schools
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Educational tools, equipment and workshop support to schools/institutions
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Development of examination system for foreign students
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Social adaptation activities for foreign and Turkish children
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Social adaptation activities for foreign and Turkish families
Awareness and consciousness-raising activities for families
2023
Digital My Job Project
The project, which aims to contribute to the development of digital skills by providing digital literacy and vocational training to women studying at public education centers, is being carried out in cooperation with the Vodafone Turkey Foundation. Within the scope of the project, two different course programs (Digital Literacy and Digital Marketing) were prepared and included in the MEB curriculum.
In the first phase of the project, 5,117 and in the second phase, 9,365 female trainees were given “Digital Literacy” and “Digital Marketing” training, and 86 trainees were employed. In the third phase of the project, which is currently being carried out, “Digital Literacy” and “Digital Marketing” training continues to be provided in 20 provinces, three of which were affected by the earthquake (Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Hatay, İstanbul, İzmir, Kastamonu, Manisa, Mersin, Samsun, Sivas, Tekirdağ, Trabzon, and Van). A total of 15 container classrooms were established and equipped in the provinces of Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, and Hatay, affected by the earthquake. As of January 2024, 294 courses (Digital Literacy and Digital Marketing) have been opened and 5,899 participants have been reached. The number of trainees is 3,975 for Digital Literacy and 1,924 for Digital Marketing. In the provinces in the earthquake zone (Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş and Hatay), 3,390 people were reached with the Introduction to the Digital World training. It is aimed to reach a total of 15,000 trainees at the end of the third phase.
Supporting the Revolving Fund of Public Education Centers through Renovation and Amendment
Since 2021, in cooperation with the Directorate General for Lifelong Learning and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), work has been carried out to renew the production workshops of Public Education Centers, especially those with revolving funds, in provinces where Syrians are densely populated. Thus, it is aimed to ensure that the products produced by Syrians and needy Turks receiving vocational training are converted into income, contributing to the revolving funds of public education centers and to the family budget by generating income for this project. Including this action, UNHCR has so far renewed 59 Vocational Workshops in 20 Public Education Centers in 10 provinces.
In line with the budget presented by UNHCR for 2023, field visits were organized to 10 Public Education Centers located in Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Eskişehir, İstanbul and Mersin, and needs for workshop installations were determined. The Implementation Principles Guide, which includes the details of the work to be done, was signed and the tender process was initiated. Following the completion of the tender process, construction and renovation operations will be carried out in 2024. The budget allocated by UNHCR for the operations planned to be carried out in 2024 is 1.8 Million Dollars.
Project to Increase the Capacity of Public Education Centers
It is aimed to increase participation in lifelong learning and the variety of courses opened in public education centers, to provide the skills demanded by the labor market in the lifelong learning system and to increase the effective use of these skills in business and social life, thus creating personal, environmental and professional awareness. The project work was initiated on October 25, 2023 and has been put into practice in all public education centers as of January 2, 2024. It is planned to be completed during Lifelong Learning Week on June 7, 2024.
The project aims to encourage the organization of activities such as competitions, exhibitions, award ceremonies, etc. in order to contribute to the promotion of our cultural values and institutions and to develop the capacities of lifelong learning institutions through the organization of social, cultural and sports activities. In this context, public education centers will be evaluated with criteria that aim to set certain standards within the scope of “Vocational”, “Cultural, Artistic and Social”, “Sports”, “R&D/Project”, “HEMBA”, “Physical/Institutional Capacity”, “Development of Institutional Capacity”, Order, Cleanliness and Others of the Institution/Departments” activities.
The KALFA Program
The Cooperation Protocol on the Organization and Conduct of Vocational Training Courses within the Scope of the KALFA Program between the Presidency of Defense Industries and the General Directorate of Turkish Employment Agency of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security was signed in 2023. In this context, cooperation was established between the Presidency of Defense Industries and İŞKUR to train qualified workforce. In order to contribute to the training of competent human resources needed by our country's defense industry ecosystem, vocational training courses were organized with the cooperation method to increase the qualified human resources trained in the defense industry field. 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 was created by the Presidency of Defense Industries from among the young people who successfully graduated, and these people are employed in defense industry companies.
Vocational Education Cooperation with Universities
In order to train a qualified workforce, a vocational training cooperation model has been developed in cooperation with İŞKUR, Universities and Technopolis administrations. Vocational training courses are organized in cooperation with universities.