Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Attending the meeting at TOBB ETÜ, TOBB Board Member Selçuk Öztürk delivered a speech and stated that the Turkish Century Education Model represents a comprehensive education mission that combines national and spiritual values with the knowledge and skills required by the modern world.

Pointing out that the curriculum is an important instrument that shapes the skills of new generations and prepares them for life in line with current developments, Öztürk continued:

“For this reason, we have to be open to continuous improvement and innovation in education. Instead of focusing only on academic success in education, we have to create a new environment that allows our students to discover their individual talents. We must focus on raising students who think critically, question and solve problems. Our passion for improving education is what brings us together in this hall today.”

- Deputy Minister of National Education Ömer Faruk Yelkenci

Deputy Minister of National Education Ömer Faruk Yelkenci, on the new curriculum within the scope of Turkish Century Education Model, said, “For the first time in Türkiye, a program was made from pre-school to 12^th grade. Turkish, mathematics, science and social sciences were covered both in pre-school and 12^th grade.”

Deputy Minister of National Education Yelkenci stated that the new curriculum was a process that started in 2014 and a serious needs analysis was conducted.

Stating that interviews were conducted with 17,000 students as well as teachers in order to strengthen the needs analysis, Yelkenci said that as a result, it was revealed that the curriculum load was too high, there was a need for skill-based education and that it should be fed with values.

Yelkenci, who informed that approximately 1,250 people took part in the preparation process of the Turkish Century Education Model, emphasized that OECD reports, international studies, the reports of the Board of Education and the Council of Education and the councils were guiding the preparation of the curriculum.

- “For the first time in Türkiye, a curriculum was made from pre-school to 12th grade”

Yelkenci stated that efforts were made to include social emotional skills and values organically in the lessons, and noted the following:

“We have handled and structured skills in a way that is unique to us. These skills are skill frameworks such as higher order thinking skills, conceptual skills, domain skills, social emotional learning skills, literacy skills. We did not choose to use these skills in the same way as other countries do, but by taking into account our own sociological structure and thinking about the skills we will need the most in the future.”

Referring to the importance of the holistic program, Yelkenci said, “Why do we say 'holistic is important'? For the first time in Türkiye, a program was made from pre-school to 12^th grade. Turkish, mathematics, science and social sciences were covered both in preschool and 12^th grade. If a topic is covered in science, it is also covered in Turkish in a supportive way. There is integrity both vertically and horizontally.”

Reminding that digital copies of the textbooks are available on EBA, Yelkenci advised private school teachers to review and prepare the books and attend the trainings to be held in September.

- Prof. Dr. Yusuf Sarınay, Rector of TOBB ETU

Prof. Dr. Yusuf Sarınay, Rector of TOBB University of Economics and Technology, emphasized the importance of investing in people and said, “As Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of our Republic, emphasized, I hope that the Turkish Century Education Model, which is prepared with national and contemporary qualities in line with raising people with the qualities our nation needs to reach the level of contemporary civilizations, will be beneficial for our country. I believe that it will pave the way for our country.”

The program continued with a Q&A session after the general information presentation on the Turkish Century Education Model.