"A Cooperation Protocol on the Disaster Area Education Support Program" was signed in order to improve relations at family and community level by eliminating the negative effects in problematic areas caused by disasters and to recognize and strengthen the capacities of students and parents with the participation of Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin and Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş.

 

Speaking at the signing ceremony held in Malatya, Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin conveyed his condolences to those who lost their lives in the earthquake. Expressing that the state mobilized with all its means to repair the damage in the region upon the instruction of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Tekin stated that they started a significant process with the protocol signed within this framework. 

 

Providing information about what was done by the Ministry of National Education in the region after the earthquake, Tekin said that they took all the necessary measures to start the education and training process smoothly on September 11 in all provinces, including four provinces and two districts severely damaged by the earthquake. Minister Tekin noted that the President's instruction was to start without any problems and reach a situation where there are more opportunities than before as soon as possible. Stressing that this is how they drew their projection, Tekin stated that they will implement a number of classrooms higher than the number of classrooms before February 6.

 

Stating that there are teachers who want to stay here despite everything, Minister Tekin stated that there are also teachers who want to change places because he thinks that the process they are in will reflect negatively on him as his motivation to work. Emphasizing that the teachers in the first group and the provincial directors talked one by one and took care of their housing needs, Tekin said that these teachers would meet their housing needs. In addition, Tekin stated that they wanted the service scores of the teachers working in the region to be slightly different, and that they also provided convenience for the teachers who wanted to leave the region, and that they started their schedule before the routine relocation calendar started by giving priority to them. Noting that the shelter needs of the teachers who were assigned to the earthquake zone in March and will start working on September 11 are also met one by one, Minister Tekin thanked the Minister of Interior Yerlikaya for organizing the accommodation needs of teachers through AFAD and for not tuning down any of their requests.

 

Noting that support was also provided for students in the earthquake area, Minister Tekin stated that they started programs that would keep students' readiness alive and compensate for their academic losses. Minister Tekin said that they were opening two additional quotas per branch in secondary education institutions in any province of Türkiye by assuming that the traumas of the students who took the LGS exam in 5 provinces and 2 districts affected by the earthquake adversely affected their exam psychology.

 

Stating that they carry out studies on parents, especially on non-formal education, Minister Tekin underlined that it is the duty of the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and the Ministry of Interior to eliminate physical and material damage, and that it is their responsibility as the Ministry of Family and National Education to eliminate social damage. He stated that they started a process to fulfill their responsibilities as two Ministries.

 

Emphasizing that they offer courses on many more subjects than the exemplary topics, Tekin said that there are over four thousand course modules in their e-yaygın module. Tekin noted that the youth, parents, housewives and laborers who want to be employed can apply through this process. Stating that they want to make the schools to always be a part of their daily life, Tekin stressed that teachers should always be a guideline for students. Minister Tekin said that this is the structure they are trying to implement in society.   

 

Thanking all the old and new managers who made an effort in the region and everyone working in the field, Minister Tekin wished the protocol to be beneficial for everyone.

 

The Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, wished Allah's mercy upon those who lost their lives in the earthquake and speedy recovery to all the people of Malatya. Minister Göktaş expressed that the state stood by its citizens with all its units from the first moment of the earthquake.

 

Reminding that they have provided psychosocial support services to more than 2 million earthquake victims in the earthquake region with more than 11 thousand personnel so far, Minister Göktaş expressed that everyone, including children will have the opportunity to participate in these services. Noting that as the Ministry of Family and Social Services, their job is to hand over their rights to the beneficiaries, Minister Göktaş said that the Turkish nation is entrusted to its state, and they carry this trust in their hearts. Göktaş stressed that they are attentive not to neglect any effort for their happiness.

 

After the speeches, "The Cooperation Protocol on Disaster Area Education Support Program" was signed between Minister Göktaş and Minister Tekin.

 

Educational support programs in the fields of psychosocial support, visual arts, sports, music and informatics will be implemented for individuals affected by disasters in 11 provinces.

 

Units created in schools, institutions and temporary accommodation centers will be the centers of education, production and socialization during the summer.

 

With the support and training courses to be opened in the fields of sports, visual arts, music and informatics, students will be introduced to many different programs such as basketball, swimming, calligraphy, photography, Guitar courses, Turkish folk music choir, robotic coding and software.

 

The learning journey will continue for everyone, regardless of age and location through informal education courses.