NEW STRUCTURE FOR SUPPORTIVE TRAINING COURSES

21 June 2020 11:33

Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk made statements concerning recent issues on the education agenda.
 
Minister Selçuk made the following comments about supportive training courses: "We are establishing a new structure for supportive training courses by revising the regulations this year. We found the answers to our questions such as how to use these courses more productively, how can we use these courses during the pandemic. Substitute teachers are already supporting the system but we might need more support from them for supportive training courses. Let's analyze the field and see our needs first. And then, we can make decisions."
 
Noting that he gave importance to emotional health in addition to physical health, Minister Selçuk stated that the Ministry has founded a Special Education and Guidance Services Information Line in order to respond the needs of parents and teachers in every city of the country when education was halted due to the pandemic.
 
Minister Selçuk said that the Ministry has carried out research about what parents expect from guidance services and offered context according to the results of these research adding that they have prepared applications such as "I am special, I am getting training" for children needing special education, published digital books about guidance, produced videos and developed programs for TRT EBA.
 
"Good news to guidance counselors"
Stressing that they also carried out activities for amending the Psychological Counseling and Guidance Regulation, Selçuk went on to say, "We have consulted with teachers, nongovernmental organizations and academicians about the regulation. We have prepared an amendment based on 100 percent consensus and we will pass this amendment in a very short period of time. The amendment will include how counselors will carry out daily activities, studies at the psychological counseling and guidance centers and certification of guidance training. NGOS had some demands, too and we take note of those. With the will of Allah, we will share the details with the public within two weeks. We will be able to give good news to guidance counselors about their requests."
 
Minister Selçuk reminded that the Ministry also prepared e-guidance application for students and this issue will also be covered in the new regulation.  
 
New designs for primary, secondary and high schools
Pointing out the fact that Turkey and the world have been passing through a very troubled time, Selçuk emphasized that the 2023 Education Vision has set a clear schedule about which project will start and they have never given up on this vision.
 
Selçuk stated that the coronavirus pandemic caused some shortcomings in the Education vision schedule and implementation adding that it also allowed the ministry score achievements earlier than expected.
 
Minister of National Education Selçuk said, "For example, we are a year ahead of expectations in training of teachers and two years ahead in distance education, digital infrastructure and similar subjects. All of a sudden, we achieved success beyond expectations. We are working in an effort to overcome these hardships."
 
Noting that they have narrowed down the context of new programs for primary, secondary and high schools, Selçuk stated, "The pandemic broke out just as we were completing these projects and we had to deal with other issues that emerged due to the pandemic. Academicians could not find time to cooperate with us, too. We have written letters to more than 100 agencies, institutions and offices about primary, secondary and high schools and asked their views. We had invited parents, students and teachers to express their expectations from primary, secondary and high school education. We held meetings with experts, school principals and formed a frame for our projects. With the will of Allah, we will share these plans with the public within a short period of time."
 
Minister Selçuk added that teachers who were appointed with a decree published on March 18 will start their duties this week and 20 thousand teachers will be appointed on September 1.