Press

It was a long marathon

Making a decision for elective courses

For the attention of TEOG stakeholders!

Do not skip internal transfer!

We can all be fomo! (Fear of missing out)

The outcome of the CONQUEROR Project

Understanding Turkey

Expectations from the new year

Summary of 2014

Abandoned village schools

The ones who make a difference

Board of education

Education must be liberalized

Longing for Çalıkuşu

25 years in children's' rights

With longing and respect

Book season is starting

Oh young people!

Globalization and universities

Foreign language problem

Being a follower of the Green Crescent today!

How can you distinguish the superior?

Family will always be important

A new chance for 100 thousand young people

School clubs

Curious points of the TEOG

Goods news for teachers

Non-preferable programs

A financial support to parents

The students who could not win should not be upset

We need peace much more

Teaching is a safe port

The youth, have you identified your port?

A right for a make-up exam

Who are against violence?

The last turn for preferences

Your idea might cost 100 thousand Dollars!

17.5 million students are on holiday

How will the appointment of principals be made?

Good news from Harvard

Grief process is challenging

A pearl of wisdom for young people

Mother's Day

Oh these young people!

It is never too late to be educated!

You will disappear if you cannot digitalize!

EU funds have become a subsistence

With the youth for the youth

Digital world

Countdown for the YGS

Principal appointments in the MEB (Ministry of National Education)

Shelter volunteers

The National Education Foundation is at the age of 33

Traffic tendency of the residents of İstanbul

Valentine day

Agenda of private schools

How do the youth manage their money?

Good news for teachers for the new year

What are the youth doing in social media?

Fight against addiction

Leaving one more year behind…

What is happening to children?

Teachers in the philosophy group

Turkey and PISA

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Workshops are started

A research from RTÜK (The Supreme Board of Radio and Television)

Exam results will not be announced

Technology addiction

Returns of the 90th year

Balance sheet of 3 years

What is waiting for us after the religious festival?

Letters from working mothers

Enrolment cheats…

New arrangements in private schools

What is the Ministry thinking?

The directive for secondary education has been revised

Critical week

One hour for one life…

New system in business

A commend by Mr. Şahin on private teaching institutions

Marathon is started

Recommendations for the first step to school

Who is responsible?

Pay attention to preferences!

The questions waiting to be answered

What do the youth say?

The preference period will be challenging

It will be a long summer

A signal for the continuation of private teaching institutions

Last minute recommendations

The decision will be taken by parents

AGÜ; third generation university

Disability free education

Mission of schools

Parents should also be a technology worm

Good examples in education

Virtual world has become a fake!

Which is you?

Education clap back of Saudi Arabia

Great attention to education abroad

Traditional enrolment period cheats

Is open admission possible?

Where is THK University proceeding?

Education and management

Uncle Governor in Twitter

Celebrations at the Valentine Day

Does cheating exist only in our country?

Cabinet substitution

It was a great loss for us

EU is becoming an e-book

One rubber, one pencil miracle

University with the eyes of students

2012 was rapid and extensive

About the agenda

A message for the time capsule of Tema

New YÖK (Council of Higher Education) draft

1 million donation by Nurse İfakat

How is our equality of opportunity report?

Struggle of the Turks with space!

Who said students do not read?

What does the protectionism of parents cost?

After Alex and Maria

Educate a girl and change the world!

Failure Summit

Entrepreneur youth will compete

Foreign student slice

Classrooms are insufficient due to immigration!

Would private teaching institutions be cleared away?

The strategy plan is on the table of the Council of Ministers

Disability group and teacher appointments

The preparations for 4+4+4 have been completed

Are you an ecological literate?

Z library for the Z generation

Z library for the Z generation - 07.08.2012

Z generation who were born after the year of 2000 and are also called as the digital generation affect not only the business environment but also the education strategies. Z generation have a quite different life experience from the previous Y generation. Such generation start using iPhone even before learning how to read and write. Z generation learn about the world by just touching on the screen. Books, newspapers, magazines, conventional education and training systems seem to be ineffective for this generation. For example, a 1 year old baby who can use iPad does not like normal magazines and wants them to have a video display. You might have read the news that 3 years old Jack Neal in America made a payment of about 26 thousand TL for a pink car by clicking on the purchase button on the computer he used for playing games every day by taking advantage that his mother left her eBay account unattended. With this news, the whole world have met a typical representative of Z generation. The Ministry of National Education also went into action for the Z generation who are still at the primary school grade. Activities were started to build Z-Libraries after the CONQUEROR Project. The Ministry identified a model by working on a library design jointly with the Merter Platform Foundation. The first Z-Library was built in Hüseyin Halil Fahri Orman Primary School in Esenyurt. There will be such a progress in the libraries designed with a new understanding and perspective that contains international standards as well. There will be computers in "Z-Libraries" referring to an enriched library. Children can visit the libraries and play games outside the course hours at their will. Students will be brought together with printed, audio and electronic books and alternative reading options will be provided. Z-Library will be situated at the ground floors for the sake of easy access and turned into such places that students with disabilities can easily visit. Working hours of the libraries will be flexible; they will be open by 20.00 o'clock in the evening and offered to the service of the public at the weekends. Offered to service actively outside the course hours, the libraries will function as the culture centres of their location. Meetings with authors will be organized in the libraries and authoring workshops will be opened. The Ministry will work jointly with the NGOs for the construction and generalization of Z-Ministries. This is announced to the NGOs which want to contribute to education.

A green light for private universities

Perspective of students about the system change

The opportunities waiting for Turkey

Two chancellors for every university

A chaos might be observed in preferences

A chaos might be observed in preferences - 26.06.2012

The exams are over. Now, the preference period is waited. However, two important changes have been made this year with an effect on the point scoring system. Firstly, the different coefficient for different branches has been removed, a single coefficient has been introduced and the coefficient has been reduced from 0,15 to 0,12 regardless of the branch from which students graduate. Secondly, the school contribution has been eliminated and personal achievement has gained importance. Furthermore, the point scoring range has been changed as 250-500 instead of 100-500. This seems to be confusing in this period where we are getting closer to preferences. Indeed, a natural activation is expected in scores year by year based on the perception of difficulty of easiness of the exam in consideration of the YGS and LYS exams even if no change is made in point scoring. With the introduction of such an important change, the base points in the previous year have become invalid. This change will affect the lower rankings as much as the higher rankings. Even if you are a top scoring student, you will not be able to obtain 60 OBP points which is the maximum point for this year unless your diploma grade is 100. You will multiply your diploma grade and obtain its 12%. In this case, many top scoring students will be far away from the dream of 60 points. Therefore, other students following them in the ranking will have less points. The calculations made on the basis of base points for 2011 will also be meaningless because any candidates who graduate from their schools with a close rank to the last ranking will be assessed with the minimum point of 30. Base points are already several points different year by year but now, there will be very serious differences. So it is very normal for a candidate to have a chaos in terms of the basis of the preference strategy, preparation of a preference list, sequencing and establishment of the preference range. To prevent this, preparing preference lists according to the base point should necessarily be avoided. Moreover, it should be noted that there is a proposed law in the agenda of the GNAT to turn back to the previous implementation.

Would our holiday period be shortened?

The SBS period has been completed

Will the university entrance system be changed?

Education of students with disabilities will also be compulsory

National teacher strategy

The target for 2023 is Nobel

Farewell to the martyrs of Van

Student profile is changing

Who will be responsible for harsh graders?

Cognitive transformation

A solution for the school land problem

1500 TL incentive per student will be started to be paid

1500 TL incentive per student will be started to be paid - 03.04.2012

As the country, we completed the last week with the discussions about 4+4+4 education system. During these discussions, a news was shared with the public suggesting that a cash support would be provided to students studying at private schools. As you know, we have been sharing our opinions and recommendations at different platforms for increasing the rate of private school management which is 3% to the European Union level for years and highlighting that this rate would not increase with the efforts of private schools only and that the government must assume responsibility as well. The Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan explained to the journalists in his flight to South Korea that: "We will eliminate private teaching institutions and encourage private schools". It is stated that the largest share in the incentive package which is discussed at the Prime Ministry as introduced by the Prime Minister Mr. Erdoğan will belong to education and that cash supports will be provided per student for increasing the share of private schools in particular. Within the scope of the so-called "Encouragement to Private Schools" initiative which was studied by the bureaucrats of the Ministry of National Education and Ministry of Finance and sent to the Prime Ministry, annual cost of each student to the government was calculated. Annual cost of a student from the budget of the Ministry of National Education based on the number of students was calculated to be approximately 1500 TL. This cost excludes physical costs of schools such as school expenses, electricity, water etc. I regard this support of 1500 TL as the first step. The government is aiming at increasing the rate of students studying at private schools from 3% up to 50% by providing support. This support will not only lighten the burden of state schools in the short run but also relieve the government of the heavy personnel burden in the long run. There are about 2 thousand 750 private schools in Turkey. These schools provide education only to 430 thousand students although their capacity is 1 million students. With the payment of 1500 TL support per student, it is expected that 200 thousand students particularly in Anatolia will increase up to 350 thousand. According to the initiative of the Prime Ministry, the private industry will also construct schools at the regions as required by the government and lease the same out to the government with a long period of time with all personnel except teachers. I have a suggestion, too: The government can educate students in private schools on a free of charge basis instead of the tax collected from private schools. NOTE: You can communicate your questions, opinions and suggestions to Mr. Fatih Öztürk through @Fatih Bilfen twitter account.

Recommendations for the foreign language course

Unethical behaviours

Private teaching institutions are not competitors of schools

Match 8th and educating the girls

Yes to ranking, no to deduction!

Framework of Turkish education

No need for walls

Casual dress implementation

Vision of the Minister Mr. Dinçer

Assignments under discussion

Performance system in national education

An outlook to the new education system

The ones who do not understand the past re-experience it

Special School model for the gifted

A supervisor and auditor problem in education

Changes waiting for prospective teachers

Rental school period in education

Decisions of national teacher strategy

We will not celebrate but commemorate

One more step towards the equality of opportunity…

The gifted should not be forgotten

A campaign for education martyrs

A rotation announcement by the Minister

Rotation and formation problem

Donation problem of schools

We met with the Minister Mr. Dinçer

3 months of holiday period is ending

The President gave a sign

Old problems in the new period

The government increased competition

Tablet computers to the internet generation

Why is school ranking necessary?

The youth want a guarantee

How are the proposals evaluated?

Make a meaningful preference

Victory of ambition

A new implementation in open university

Attention, the preference system has been changed

Solution recommendations in education

Education Monitoring Report

Education Monitoring Report - 28.06.2011

I wouldn't want to share worrying news about education in these hot summer days but we cannot ignore existing problems. Prof Dr Üstün Ergüder, İstanbul Policies Central Education Reform Initiative Director of Sabancı University, announced the fourth Education Monitoring Report to the public last week. The report mainly indicates that the prioritized problem of the education system is that it fails to equip students with learning and thinking skills and poor results are obtained in international tests. There are striking determinations in the report. For example, very important steps have recently been taken in pre-school education; however, the percentage of pre-school education is still about 30. The inequality among cities survives. Acting as the President of TOGEM, Saadet Gülbaran stated that pre-school education had been lower in İstanbul and asked for support from charitable people in our conversation last week. 27 children out of 100 at the age of preschool education (aged 5-6) in İstanbul do not receive pre-school education. The rate of schooling in primary school (aged 6-13) was 97,8 percent for girls last year and this rate increased to 98,2 percent this year. The number of students at the primary education age who do not go to school has reduced to 70 thousand; however, absence is still a serious problem on the table. Absence is higher in vocational high schools... The report of the Education Reform Initiative for this year highlights that 42 percent of the students aged 15 cannot solve simple mathematic problems. For example, we witness that the students in this age group cannot divide 252 into 14 or even think about it. The report also indicates that the Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education course taught at the 8th grade in primary education are not taken seriously due to the fact that students are getting prepared for the SBS. There is another interesting result in secondary education; the rate of schooling in the east of the country reaches to 90 percent whereas this rate remains at 30 percent in the cities in the west when the rate of schooling in secondary education is reviewed. Teacher high schools raising students for faculties of education, on the other hand, have seriously been affected. 70 percent of the graduates studied in faculties of education 5 years ago; however, this rate reduced to 51 percent now. Well, what is the solution? Let us share it next week...

LYS was calmly completed

Our expectations from the new period

Hardworking students will be happy again

Important warning from the President Mr. Gül

Pros and cons of the maturity exam

Happy Youth Day!

A message to the world from Brussels

The conscience of the public must be eased

Darüşşafaka is opening up to Anatolia

Consciences must be eased

Primary school supervisors will again…

Primary school supervisors will again… - 12.04.2011

I wrote an article about the law which restructured primary school supervision a couple of months ago. Primary school supervisors were having problems about their personal rights. I shared my opinions suggesting that some satisfactory changes had been made for supervisors who had an important position in the education system; integrity of the supervision would be achieved together with the compensation of losses of right particularly for primary school supervisors and quality in education would enhance when a more effective supervision opportunity was provided to supervisors. Primary school supervisors have sent tens of electronic mails this week and stated that they object to some aspects and asked me to bring forward the issue again. Primary school supervisors note that the revision in the law leads only to a change of title in their profession, their personal rights are not improved and an income difference of 900 TL exists between other supervisors and them. This columns has always been open to the ones who have something to say about education. This time, I give the floor to primary school supervisors. We are Education Supervisors working at remote corners of Anatolia diligently. Education Supervisors inspect and investigate all institutions in a city, audit educational institutions and prepare reports day and night by neglecting their children at home. None of the public officers take work home... Education supervisors fulfil their duties in the field, in the office and at their home all the time and prepare investigation reports. They have a great workload. We cannot say our wage because we are embarrassed to say. As a matter of fact, we are ethically unable to bring ourselves to talk about wages. When the personal rights in other institutions and our rights are compared, this difference will be clearly realized. The introduced law does not contain a new opinion, perspective or assessment apart from the repetition of some provisions of the existing directive. There is no answers for many questions such as the functioning of the supervision system, existing problems in the system, personal rights of the persons in the system in comparison with the previous system, personal rights offered by the system, working conditions, outcomes of efficiency levels etc. I guess the Ministry of National Education is required to persuade primary school supervisors playing an important role in education about the new law or re-evaluate the requests.

This country needs an independent exam centre

A recommendation to the Ministry

30 libraries are in your computer

Unfurl a banner for Anatolia

Women's right course

Turkey is changing, ODTU is changing, too

Need is less, number of graduates is high

28 genius people are sought

An interference with the success gap

Radical decisions in education

There are private teaching institutions in every country

İstanbul was examined

İstanbul was examined - 18.01.2011

The initial results of the so-called YÖNVER project implemented jointly by the National Education Directorate of İstanbul and Kültür University were announced. The profiles of all state and private high schools were developed with the use of the data specific to İstanbul as shared by ÖSYM with the Provincial Directorate of National Education of İstanbul within the scope of the High School Tomography of İstanbul and the university placement data shared by ÖSYM with universities every year. We can say that this study also reveals the success tomography of all school types in İstanbul. We see that general high schools are more successful in Turkish, Maths, Social Sciences and Physical Sciences tests in YGS (Transition to Higher Education Exam) in comparison with vocational high schools, open high schools and multi-program high schools. The success rate of vocational high schools and open high schools particularly in maths is below 10 percent and this has a more critical result in physical sciences test. The success rate of both high school types in physical sciences test is below 5 percent... These results confirm that the scores of Turkey in PİSA are not surprising at all. The point average in YGS, on the other hand, is 43 percent in general high schools and below 25 percent in vocational high schools, open high schools and multi-program high schools. This rate is about 35 percent across İstanbul. There are totally 853 high schools in İstanbul. 114 thousand 871 students apply for the exam and the number of students taking the exam decreases to 109 thousand 976. In other words, 5 thousand students diminish at the first stage. However, the number of students with a higher YGS score than 180 across İstanbul is above 90 thousand. This means 83 percent success. 90 thousand students are entitled to take LYS in İstanbul. Taking the tomography of the high schools in İstanbul, this study is indeed a golden opportunity for parents, counsellors, teachers and schools. The underlying reason is that schools can see where they stand thanks to this study. Parents can make more accurate decisions by looking at these statistical data rather than untrue advertisements. I think Mr. Muammer Yıldız, the National Education Director of İstanbul will make use of this study to increase the success average of İstanbul.

The Minister Çubukcu gave the good news

Take the children out!

Leaving one more year behind…

AÇEV made us proud

AÇEV made us proud - 21.12.2010

Even though the non-governmental organizations in Turkey have a recent past, their activities have started to make an impression in the world. Launched as a program 28 years ago and turned into a corporate structure, AÇEV (Mother Child Education Foundation) received an award from the World Education Innovation Summit. WISE (World Education Innovation Summit) is an institution which monitors education related studies besides worldwide education issues. Assessing many projects related to education by confirming whether they are permanent and innovative, WISE awarded 6 different institutions from 6 countries this year. Pakistan, Nigeria, America, South America and England were awarded. The award was brought to Turkey by AÇEV. The value of the service provided by non-governmental organizations voluntarily is inestimable. The greatest support to the professional team of AÇEV with 175 members across the country is provided by a trainer and volunteer team of 1.700 people who work actively in the field. The majority of trainers consists of teachers. WISE gave the award to the Mother Children Education Program (AÇEP) which has being implemented by AÇEV since 1993 in collaboration with the General Directorate of Apprenticeship and Non-Formal Education of the Ministry of National Education. AÇEP is a home-centered and low cost program implemented for the children at the ages of 5-6 who have not received pre-school education and their mothers for 25 weeks. Volunteer group leaders of AÇEV organize regular weekly meetings with mothers. At the end of each meeting, mothers implement a teaching program with their children in the form of weekly worksheets at home. Group leaders organize home visits to examine the mother-children relationships and implementation of weekly teaching programs. Primary basis of the program is to meet early development needs of children and ensure that they receive support from their immediate surrounding and that their parents play an important role in this regard as their "first trainers"... The rate of children who have not received pre-school education is still around 60 percent and training mothers as the first trainers is highly important. For this reason, this program closes a critical gap and deserves an award.

The so-called "Make Your Preference" project

The so-called "Make Your Preference" project - 14.12.2010

There is an issue which I don't want to pass unnoticed among the recent developments in universities. Acting as the Minister of National Education, Nimet Çubukçu introduced the project of "Anatolian High School for everybody" to the public. According to the project, general high schools will be gradually converted into Anatolian High Schools within 4 years; students will be placed in Anatolian and vocational high schools based on their high school grade point averages and social and physical science high schools will admit students by an exam. Nimet Çubukçu is such a minister that takes steps for the projects first and then share the same with the public after they are sufficiently developed. We can understand from her explanations that she commenced this project 6 months after her election as the Minister. As you remember, Nimet Çubukçu assumed the position from Hüseyin Çelik on 01.05.2009. In other words, preliminary preparations of this project have been maintained for 1 year. The project told to be implemented by the Minister Nimet Çubukçu is an outstanding method in the western European and American education system. Thanks to this project, the number of students in vocational high schools and the high schools preparing students for university will be close to fifty-fifty just like in European countries as from 2014. At the end of primary education, the students will be told to "make a preference". Similarly to Europe, students will be discriminated for Anatolian High Schools or vocational high schools based on their success grades. As the other exams will be removed, the number of exams students will take and the rate of going to a private teaching institution will reduce. A student studying in a vocational high school will have a chance to transfer to an Anatolian High School if s/he is successful or vice versa because they will take the same courses at the 9th and 10th grades in high school. One of the stages of the project is to increase the number of teachers. The Ministry is planning to appoint not less than 45 thousand teachers in August 2011. It is estimated that kindergarten teachers, counsellors, classroom teachers and English teachers will be needed more. Furthermore, about one thousand teachers are sought to educate children with disabilities. The project announced by Nimet Çubukçu will be discussed on upcoming days. However, this system should not be opposed to. There are about 60 school types as a result of unplanned additions in the education policy for years. This patched package discomforts not only students and parents but also the Ministry. Now, it is required to increase the quality of education in primary education to the same level across the country and ensure that counselling departments know and direct students properly.

The mistake was corrected at the early stage

The mistake was corrected at the early stage - 07.12.2010

The Council of State made a decision for the 7th graders who are preparing for the SBS exam. Let's remind the issue for the ones who are not knowledgeable about it. The Placement Test implemented for the 6th, 7th and 8th graders since 2008 was reduced to a single exam in consideration of the complaints of students, parents and trainers. Nimet Çubukçu, the Minister of National Education, announced that they had decided to implement the SBS exam which was implemented in June at the end of 6th, 7th and 8th grades only at the end of the 8th grade and in addition to this decision, they decided that 6th graders would take the exam completely and 7th graders would take the exam also in that year because they took the same in the previous year. However, a parent acting as a lawyer stated that s/he reviewed the justifications of the Ministry for gradual elimination of the exam and stated that: "The exam to be taken by the 7th graders this year must also be eliminated. Otherwise, there will be inequality." and applied to the Council of State. The Council of State accepted the objection of such parent who claimed that the decision was wrong and decided to passed a decree for the suspension of execution last month about the SBS exam to be taken by 7th graders. This decree of the Council of State surprised students who were preparing for exams since the beginning of the year and going to private teaching institutions we all we their parents. The majority of students stopped studying by thinking that the exam had been eliminated. Even the calculation of the points was a matter of debate in case that the decree of the Council of State would be finalized. The expectation of all of us in that period was the necessity that the Ministry would take a quick step without sidestepping the matter further. The Ministry submitted its objection to the Judicial Chambers Board of the Council of State. The Council of State revised its previous decree on the suspension of execution for the SBS in order not to interrupt the ongoing process and decided to implement the SBS for 7th graders this year. Exams are not the only fact of this country. Countries place students by exams. The issue required to be discussed today and in the upcoming period is not the number of exams but the exams through which we can measure and assess students accurately. The final decision of the Council of State depressed the students who stopped studying by considering that the exams would be eliminated. However, students must maintain their studies consistently instead of acting in accordance with these types of decisions in the learning process. It is the best option if the Ministry launches these types of changes in the long term. Early correction of the mistake was for the benefit of everyone.

A different Minister

82 years on the track of the Head Teacher

News for the religious festival

News for the religious festival - 16.11.2010

I want to share two pleasing news on the occasion of the religious festival. 15 thousand of diabetic students will be closely monitored through special implementations to be commissioned in schools. The Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Health and the Foundation of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes have implemented the so-called "Diabetes Program in School" program for improving the living conditions of diabetic children. It is intended to raise healthy generations by way of training teachers about the care of diabetic children in this program within the scope of which special implementations have been launched for diabetic children. The sponsor of this initiative is Sanofi-Aventis company. Within the scope of the so-called "Diabetes Program in School" program which is unconditionally supported by such company and will be the first implementation in Turkey, it is planned to raise awareness about the symptoms of diabetes in children by accessing to 650 thousand teachers and 16 million students in our country. It is estimated that there are about 15 thousand diabetic children in Turkey at the school age and 1500-1700 children are diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes every year. The use of insulin for the treatment of Type-1 diabetes being one of the frequent chronic diseases in childhood requires close follow-up also at school besides home due to the disease, blood sugar monitoring etc. Both teachers and parents have important roles in the prevention of a critical result arising from the failure to diagnose diabetic children at the early stage and from treatment delays. Therefore, about 250 counsellors working in the schools in İstanbul will be trained in Type-1 diabetes. Justice has been served even partially about the issue which has been discussed for months. 350 candidates out of 280 thousand got a full score in the Educational Science Exam of KPSS which was held on the 10th of July but cancelled when the cheating and leakage of questions had been finalized. No candidate got a full score in the exam repeated on the 31st of October. None of the candidates correctly answered all questions in the repeated exam and the candidate with the highest score had 111 net answers out of 120 questions. These results show that cheating claims are rightful. In order for the justice to be served completely, the ones involved in cheating must account in court. The conscience of the public will ease only at that time. I celebrate your religious festival with the occasion of the Sacrifice Holiday and wish that the festival will bring health, happiness and wellbeing to you all.

After the Council…

Foreign students are in Turkey

American exam system

American exam system - 26.10.2010

Last week, the senior officials of the Ministry of National Education and the members of All Private Teaching Institutions Foundation (TÖDER) organized a trip to New York and Washington to inspect the American school system and exam system. The trip was participated by the General Director of Education Technologies Mahmut Tuncel, President of the Projects Coordination Centre Ünal Akyüz, Head of the Educational Research and Development Department Murat Yalçın, Deputy General Director of Higher Education Yavuz Şişman, Ministry Adviser Timur Yalçın on behalf of the Ministry and the President of TÖDER Enver Yücel, Founder of Dilko Private Teaching Institutions Ali Oğuztürk, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Final Teaching Institutions İbrahim Taşel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tümay Private Teaching Institutions Zeki Hançerlioğulları, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sınav Magazine Private Teaching Institution Metin Özer, General Director of Terakki Foundation Schools Mehmet Güneş, General Director of İzmir Private Fatih High School Ali Rıza Doğanata, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ankara Private Yüce Schools Kağan Kalınyazgan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Açı Private Teaching Institutions Hüseyin Ulusal. Being one of the visited centres, Ribbon Schools of Excellence generates measurable and sustainable solutions for ensuring that students in all schools in America will reach to the highest success potential and it does not seek profit. A collaboration protocol was executed between Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence and TÖDER. Moreover, an agreement was concluded between National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and TÖDER. As a result of this collaboration, the implementations and organizations will be launched as the preliminary preparation of a new exam arrangement system to be replaced by ÖSYM in Turkey in the future. Accordingly, TÖDER will firstly measure the level of education in Turkey through a pilot exam system to be modelled based on the structure of NAGB (National Assessment Arrangement Board). It will establish data for the Ministry of National Education and education specialists by determining the education level across Turkey through Placement Tests to be implemented in the schools that will be selected among the schools in Turkey. TÖDER will focus on exam technology and exam reliability at this stage based on the know-how obtained from America. At the second stage of the plan, TÖDER will contribute to the establishment of a new independent exam mechanism to replace ÖSYM in Turkey based on its fund of knowledge. We can say that the unidirectional relationship between Turkey and America as a result of recent collaborations has turned into a multi-lane highway.

The responsibility for education is huge

The responsibility for education is huge - 19.10.2010

What happened in Duru College, opened in İstanbul in the last academic year revealed once more that education required a huge responsibility. Parents enrolled their children to the private school opened without paying regard to any criteria with the lack of a preference, not only students and parents but also teachers were aggrieved. In fact, when we review the past of the founders of Duru College, we can see that they has the same mistake 4 years ago. They aggrieved their teachers, did not pay salaries and creditors turned up at the school opened in the European side starting from the second month. Furniture firm, computer firm, building owner, finance and catering company seized the school. Even the computers in classrooms were seized. The cleaning firm kept their hands off the school lastly. 25 teachers who had no strength to stand resigned. Some of students were transferred to state schools and some others were transferred to another private school. Acting only for the purpose of seeking profit, these people casted doubt on the belief of students in education and negatively affected the perception of parents about private schools. However, I think that the parents are also responsible in this regard. We have warned parents for years not to pay attention only to "private school" and "affordable fee" when they select a private school. However, this example shows that parents are still making their choices without paying regard to certain criteria. They aggrieve both themselves and their children when they select non-promising schools. Some state schools offer a better education and social opportunities than some private schools. For this reason, they should not get swindled by the ones who open a school only for earning money for the sake of a "private school". Preferring such educational institutions that have proven their success in education and become a brand will save time for students and money for parents. Quality, experiences and achievements of the training staff must be regarded at the time of selecting a school. Various comments are made about the fees of private schools in every enrolment period. The institutions which really engages in education do not reduce their prices below a certain level. Quality service will of course have a cost. Serious institutions not only increase the quality of education but also open the doors of future for students. Select schools carefully in order not to be a part of bad scenarios created by entrepreneurs who prioritize earning money instead of achievement in their past.

The university system must be renewed

A new chance for 10 0thousand young people

The youth worth everything!

The youth worth everything! - 28.09.2010

We always say that "everybody must assume responsibility" in education and when we encounter with any examples confirming this, our hope incrementally grows. For example, the Volunteering Club founded by the students of İstanbul Technical University is launching exemplary social responsibility projects. The club in which volunteer students play an active role paves the way to university for high school students who cannot pay regard to education sufficiently and go to a private teaching institution due to financial or spiritual impossibilities thanks to the so-called "Another Path" project. This year, 27 students selected from various high schools in Şişli, Kâğıthane, Beşiktaş and Sarıyer districts received 8 hours of lessons from volunteers every weekend. Besides lessons, university students dealt with all kinds of problems of high school students and motivated them about the exam stress through various social activities. Thanks to the project, 15 students won the program they wanted. In other words, we all witnessed the outcomes of a project based on the principle of volunteering. A similar collaboration to the students of İTÜ is achieved by the 7th graders of Bilfen Primary School for years. The students in the Social Solidarity and Cooperation Club of Bilfen teach English to fifth graders in a state school on certain days of the week within the scope of the so-called "I Am Learning and Teaching" project. The students not only fill the gap in the state school but also learn by teaching. This implementation is launched under the permission and supervision of the Ministry of National Education and permission of parents is also required. As you see, social responsibility does not make any age or gender discrimination. Being one of the leaders of volunteering in education, İbrahim Betil walked 8 kilometers in the Eurasian Marathon organized on Sunday for the sake of the so-called "The youth worth everything" project of the Community Volunteers which is believed and supported by him for years. The purpose of Mr. Betil is to raise awareness about this project and ensure that at least one young Community Volunteer is valued with 24 TL per month or 280 TL per year. Mr. Betil targeted to achieve a support of "The youth worth everything" for at least 150 students in this marathon. Only 24 TL is required per month for young people with free brains who give paints and brushes to children in prisons, teach in villages without a school and contribute to social peace and education. Perhaps you want to pay this 24 TL. In this way, you can become one of the individuals who assume responsibility for the problems in our country.

Recommendations for the exam system

Recommendations for the exam system - 20.09.2010

ÖSYM (Student Selection and Placement Centre) cancelled the Educational Sciences Test exam of KPSS (Public Personnel Selection Examination) which remained on the agenda due to the claims of cheating. About 280 thousand candidates will take the exam to be held again. Well, what will happen henceforward? Will each exam give rise to new doubts? The exam system launched by ÖSYM in 1974 was got so used and perceived to be indispensable by the society that it has been changed only for its form instead of discussing the essence of it. However, measurement and assessment have become an important industry which guides the change and development of education systems throughout the world. With the developing technology, measurement and assessment develop as well. All Private Teaching Institutions Foundation (TÖDER) conducted a study showing that many concepts which were introduced to us as an obligation had actually quite simple solutions by way of comparing the exam system implemented by ÖSYM with its international examples. Some of the issues which we have not questioned for years and have wrong information about central exams are as follows: The fact that 1.5 million students take university exams in Turkey is shown as the justification of not holding the exams with the use of different techniques. Nevertheless, SAT exams held in America are taken by more than 3 million students in a year. University exams are held once a year in Turkey. Several exams are held in many countries (up to 10 exams). It is an obligation in Turkey that the exam questions (test items) must not be asked before. However, exam packages are established in many examples abroad after test items are tried and revised in accordance with the results of the implementation and many parameters such as difficulty level are determined. Usage of central exams for exact placement is an implementation peculiar to a few countries particularly Turkey. In many countries, these types of exams are regarded as a condition for enrolment in student selection (minimum score). But each institution applies their own enrolment admission conditions at the time of exact placement. University placement exams to be held in upcoming years might be cancelled judicially as a result of any problems that will appear unless a measure is taken. I think a solution can be generated if the system is restructured on a multi-participant platform in collaboration with ÖSYM and MEB (Ministry of National Education), particularly higher education institutions, private education industry and NGOs and exams are held with the participation of this platform.

Current status of the brain drain

Quality education for everyone

Is the problem in KPSS will be solved?

Is it difficult to be worldwide?

Hopes are postponed to the next year

Peace culture against violence

Peace culture against violence - 10.08.2010

Students, parents and school managers were uncomfortable due to the violence observed in schools in a certain period. We encounter with the news of violence at schools on the third page of newspapers less often as a result of the fact that the required counselling and psychological counselling services are meticulously provided in schools, school managers act sensitively in this regard and police units take necessary precautions in this aspect. This result is confirmed also by the database of Information Systems of the Ministry of National Education (MEBBİS). Nimet Çubukçu, the Minister of National Education, stated that counselling services had been provided meticulously in this regard in her answer for a parliamentary question last week. We understand from the answer of the Minister Çubukçu that the General Directorate of Special Education Guidance and Counselling Services keeps monitoring any acts of violence among studying students within the frame of the "Strategy and Action Plan of 2006-2011 for the Prevention and Minimization of Violence in Educational Environments". According to the statistics of the last 4 years, a decrease draws attention in the acts of violence among studying students. Based on the statistics of MEBBİS, the number of cases in which students acted as a promoter was 2 thousand 676 in 2006 and this number reduced to 312 in 2010. The number of cases involving a death due to a firearm or edged weapon was 5 in 2006. This year, on the other hand, no sorrowful incident took place. Total number of acts of violence in schools reduced from 3 thousand 14 to 356 this year. Acting as the National Education Director at the time of his appointment, Muammer Yıldız stated that he assigned a police officer for each school for the security of children and noted: "This will provide a partial solution. We will ask parents to be a partner with us in this process. Involving parents in this process will increase our success." This foresight of Mr. Yıldız came true in the first year. It should not be forgotten that directing children to sports is one of the most important factors for the elimination of violence. We can see that the sports halls which have been put into service have an increasing effect. However, it is required not to forget that the United Nations have declared the year of 2000-2010 as the "Ten Years of Peace and Violence Free Solution Culture of World Children" and to generalize the violence free peace culture against violence culture. The way to achieve this requires the inclusion of a compulsory "Peace Education" course in the whole education system starting from kindergarten.

Pleasing developments

Good news for teachers about spouses

Successful cities…

Chaos occurred with warning

Chaos occurred with warning - 13.07.2010

We made an assessment on this page with the title of "A chaos will occur also in this year" after the Placement Test (SBS) for 8th graders held in the first week of June. Well, what did we say? We predict that there will be a substantial accumulation in higher scores according to the result of SBS implemented for 8th graders this year. This might particularly pose a problem in private schools who will admit students only on the basis of the SBS for 8th grade. For example, selection will be difficult if 300 students with full 500 score apply to Robert College. The Union of Private Schools should pay attention to this probability and take a precaution in advance. The results were announced and it appeared that this determination was correct beyond doubt. 1544 students answered all questions correctly in the SBS this year. As you know, the Ministry granted a separate exam right to foreign private schools but did not grant this right to Turkish schools last year. Turkish private schools which did not want to admit students based on the Transition to Secondary Education System recommended their own system to the Ministry. The Ministry announced that there had been no obstacle for any private schools to employ this system as a response. In other words, private schools will determine the base points by themselves and admit students on the basis of the SBS score. A central placement will not be made. School grades will not be used for entrance in these schools. Well, what is the problem then? The problem is in admitting students in schools on the basis of their SBS scores. If all of 1544 students with full score want to study in the American Robert College which is a private school in Turkey with the highest score, how will they be elected? 340 students only from İstanbul answered all exam questions correctly. Güler Kamer, Turkish Principal of the American Robert College, explained the problem of the chaos to be observed in upcoming days by stating: "I can't believe the result. I think this is not the right system. How will we separate such a non-selective exam which can be applied in despair? We will not introduce any other criteria than the ones we announced. I wish the exam were selective just like we did last year." However, the system provides an answer to these questions. When the top 1544 students prefer the same high schools, yearend school grades at the 8th or 7th grade will be predicated upon. If the scores are still equal, younger students will deserve an enrolment right. Students and parents should not worry, the problem will be solved in itself.

Towards the exam free system…

Time for a change in higher education

Education inspectorship has become attractive

The SBS period has been completed!

The professions with a job guarantee

Exam Support Department from TÖDER

Two estimable bureaucrats: Güler and Yıldız

Casual clothes should be put aside

First steps on the street

Do you wish a single exam?

What is happening in CERN?

Titles of primary school inspectors are changed

Vocational high schools are a national matter

The hands holding a pencil

Economic crisis affected students

In private with Kadir Topbaş

Turkey is doubling the number of universities

After Hocabey...

After Hocabey…

Unethical behaviours

Recommendations for the solution of the problem

Amnesty is a thing of the past

Çubukçu put a smile on our face

Çubukçu put a smile on our face - 02.02.2010

Participating in the symposium organized by the Union of Private Schools of Turkey, Nimet Çubukçu, the Minister of National Education, made pleasing explanations about private schools. Private education institutions are trying to express their expectations from the Ministry at all platforms. With the explanations of the Minister Çubukçu, we have learned that our demands are assessed internally. The Minister of National Education Nimet Çubukçu noted that they had started to re-evaluate the exam for transition to secondary education institutions which was revised three years ago upon the receipt of criticisms; they had decided to eliminate the Private Foreign Schools Exam and asked their bureaucrats to re-evaluate the Placement Test (SBS) held at the end of each year. As you know, the Ministry granted the right to French, American, Austrian and Italian schools to hold the "Private Foreign Secondary Education Institutions Entrance Exam" last year. Foreign schools raised an objection for holding the exam separately and we requested the elimination of this exam. The Minister of National Education Nimet Çubukçu has not made an official announcement yet; however, we know that she instructed to the directors of the Union of Private Schools to select their students on the basis of the SBS exam. Private schools will establish a system to admit students on the basis of the SBS exam. I think a protocol will be signed for this purpose between the General Directorate of Private Education Institutions and General Directorate of Education Technologies. Consecutive SBS exams in three years caused a stress both for parents and students. Efforts of the Ministry for the SBS are an important step that will relieve parents and students. It was hoped that SBS would decrease the attention to private teaching institutions but we had a reverse situation; the age of starting to a private teaching institution reduced to the 4th grade. We witnessed that the complaints received by us reached to the Ministry as well. Nimet Çubukçu noted that the private schools in Antalya came to the forefront in ÖSS and SBS exams held on an annual basis as well as social and sportive activities and national and international science Olympiads. The Minister also emphasized that this was not a comparison. I agree with the Minister Çubukçu in this regard. Private schools cannot be separated from national education. Private schools are a stakeholder of national education. Self-development of both state and private schools means the development of Turkey. Increasing the number of students to 419 thousand with the increase of 25 thousand students despite of the global crisis throughout the world, private schools play a leading role in enhancing the quality of education and introducing many innovations to our education system. Recognition and appreciation of this by the Ministry is an important point for those who contributed.

Would private teaching institutions be converted into private schools?

Would private teaching institutions be converted into private schools? - 26.01.2010

The Ministry of National Education anticipates in its new strategy plan the conversion of private teaching institutions into private schools in 2014. I believe that this objective of the Ministry is not set in a realistic manner and in consideration of current conditions and that these types of objectives must be detailed and planned better. Enver Yücel, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of All Private Education Institutions Foundation (TÖDER), also explained his thoughts about the matter. Enver Yücel suggested that although the management of private teaching institution had been one of the important parts of education dating back to very old periods, the public had had wrong ideas about these institutions and acted with biases about the same. Mr. Yücel also highlighted: "Private teaching institutions have become an indispensable part of education in America being the superpower of the world. They have been turned into a complementary part of education within the frame of the so-called "No child is left behind" project implemented by the Bush government. Being an integral part of education in Japan, private teaching institutions not only prepare students for exams but also act as a learning partner." In Turkey, there is such an illusion that private teaching institutions involve students in test acrobatics and get them adopt only the habit of solving multiple-choice questions. However, the curriculum is repeated in depth in private teaching institutions. It should not be ignored that private teaching institutions increase the learning rate of students and the courses taught to students in schools are taught to them in a more reinforcing and repetitive manner. As emphasized by Enver Yücel, private teaching institutions are not a problem of our education system but a part of a better education. Unless the inequalities and differences between regions, cities and schools in our country, the institutions which will remove this inequality will exist. The institutions which will remove education inequality in our country are private teaching institutions. Private teaching institutions educate 15 percent of their students on a scholarship and ensure equality of opportunity in education. Private teaching institutions will become directing and guiding institutions in the future. This must be the main objective. Otherwise, trying to destroy complementary institutions among education institutions will deepen the problems rather than a solution. I agree with the opinions of Enver Yücel. Private teaching institutions whose number reaches to 4 thousand provide employment for 250 thousand people. Conversion of private teaching institutions which have been regarded as an obstacle for more than 20 years into private schools injures both private schools and private teaching institutions. Therefore, I recommend the review of this decision by the Ministry of National Education.

It is time for İstanbul now

We brought the museum in the school

Was the coefficient problem really solved?

Was the coefficient problem really solved? - 05.01.2010

The problem of coefficient to be applied for entrance in universities which seemed as a deadlock as a result of the decree of the Council of State was solved with the decision of the Council of Higher Education. Accordingly, Weighted High School Grade Point Averages will be applied to be 0.15 in branch preferences and 0.13 in non-branch preferences. However, the higher coefficient (0.15) will be applied for the candidates among the top one thousand students across Turkey in the first and second stage exams to be held for entrance in universities regardless of type of high school. Except the candidates who are entitled to enrol without an exam among the graduates of teacher high schools and vocational high schools, if candidates prefer the programs in their branches, the point calculated by multiplying their Weighted High School Grade Point Averages with 0.05 will separately be added to their other points. In this case, the highest Weighted High School Grade Point Average will be calculated as 75 for branch preferences and as 65 for non-branch preferences and the lowest Weighted High School Grade Point Average will be calculated as 15 for branch preferences and as 13 for non-branch preferences and then added to respective point type. Maximum 25 and minimum 5 points will be added to candidates who graduate from teacher high schools and vocational high schools for their branch preferences. It can be seen that the coefficient difference will be reflected as maximum 10 and minimum 2 scores. It might seem that the difference can be made up by solving a couple of more questions at the first sight; however, it is very difficult for vocational high school students to make up this difference due to the curriculum discrepancy. In this case, candidates graduating from vocational high schools are required to catch up with candidates graduating from other high school types and solve more questions. Starting with the system change in February 2009 and continuing with the coefficient problem, these discussions put both students and their parents into trouble. Students who could not have a sigh of relief were unable to get organized sufficiently and put the planned studies into practice. However, they need to leave these discussions behind and make the best use of the remaining time. The students at intermediate grades of high schools are awaiting impatiently now. I wonder if these changes will continue in the upcoming year or years? If yes, a different approach can be adopted. Any changes to be made in the exam must be planned with all details thereof and put into practice after the assessments of the public for a while. Otherwise, troublesome days will be waiting for students and their parents every time a change is on the agenda.

Are we entering 2010 with an advantage?

Can an accessible society be created?

Trainee teacher for the mentally disabled

Will a middle course be found for the coefficient?

Discussions on the new draft of YÖK (Council of Higher Education)

Teaching is volunteering profession

Education watch for three generations

We want to know what we eat!

Struggle with disease and virtual education

Schools must be associated with municipalities

Education in faculties of education must last for 6 years

School buses and safety of life

An education tax can be collected from each citizen

Education in the shade of swine influenza

I came to İstanbul to run

Factors on academic success

We have no upper limit for education

An upright principal

We will stamp higher education

Expectations about the new period

We have laid the foundations of large satellites to be developed in the future

The number of foundation universities is insufficient

MEB (Ministry of National Education) regards the life school, too

Projects for women, the youth and the disabled are sought

An arrangement by Çubukçu for family peace

Parents call the Ministry for duty

They punished success in this way

Effect of economic crisis on placements

I would not be a burden on the government if autonomy was granted

Did you say reading a book!

Champion camp competition

Higher education workshop

Excellent success

Warnings for the preference period

Centurial schools and institutionalization

This success deserves pride

SBS (Placement Exam) decreases motivation

We completed the period with the final exams

Accumulation would not occur this year

SBS (Placement Exam) should be revised

Crisis caused the sale of a school

A call for three new Ministers

45 years of directive has been revised

Sad news for scholarship students

Don't let families break

Recommendations for the new exam system

Campus high school implementation

ÖSS (Student Selection Exam) quiz from TÖDER

Anatolian is full of impossibilities

Enrolment period has started troubledly

New university entrance system

Did they make a request?

We express our thanks to Saylan

Would the number of candidates decrease?

"The age of 6 is very late" now

Volunteers for changing

A couple of good men are sought

200 thousand students competed

The industry will have difficulty but it will not shrink

The children who have created their own education opportunities

We need to question the past and look to future

The foreign schools exam is unfair

Borders are removed in education

We are waiting for the private university law

Effect of economic crisis on education

Position of the NGOs in society

Teachers keep their hope alive

Education coaching in private teaching institution

Understanding Atatürk after 70 years

False facts in education

A proper proposal for the religious festival

Intermediate employee or technical employee?

Teachers work much but earn less

Would compulsory education be 9 years?

Will Chinese topple English from its throne?

There are many developments in Ankara!

Parenting book

Education problems of the Capital in 5 items

The government must ease the burden of education

Deceleration formula in ÖSS (Student Selection Exam) competition

50 years of education journey of a doyen

Amnesty is perhaps being introducing this time

How many students will receive 50 thousand YTL?

We made history in the last OKS

Education and technology

İstanbul is pleased with me

What will be the deficiencies of İstanbul in the new period?

Remainders of the interview

We have completed the exam period

Key to success

Abundance of 2008 in OKS

Result of the student survey

Music education at an early age

The youth are a source of hope!

Education from generation to generation

New arrangement in the new period

An English model for ÖSS (Student Selection Exam)

Enjoy your religious festival children

163 years in safety

The more you grow the greater your success

We celebrated the 160th anniversary

The directive of private schools has been revised

Robin Hood model

Turkish education fair

The bosses of education are coming together

The duty should not be over before the system becomes stable!

There are a lot steps to take!

Student amnesty turned into an unresolved mess

The Ministry must procure service from private institutions

A good education is a must for Turkey!

We can ease the burden of wage!

Be ready for online diplomas

Every student will learn!

2007 balance sheet of education

It is not the time for abandoning but for embracing

Do you want poker as a course?

A quiz with uncertainties

Let the peace education be a course

Students are miserable!

Preschool education needs support

A female principal for Galatasaray would be fantastic!

We must give a way to private universities

We are in the book season

TEMA is at the age of 15

Student amnesty is not on the agenda!

1+8 must be compulsory

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