16 January 2015 18:38

While answering the question of a journalist about the statements of the Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) Chairman Ali Demir concerning cheating allegations during 2010 civil servant exams and exams before that, Minister Avcı said, “There was a judicial inquiry which was initiated before but then closed. I believe that judicial inquires and probes should have reached a certain level that requires investigation, may it go well.”
 
“We warn school administrators about safety at schools.”
 
When a journalist reminded Minister Avcı that no action was taken and nothing changed at an Arnavutköy school in Istanbul where a student fell to his death because there were no hand-rails at the stairs the Minister responded by saying the Provincial Directorate of National Education has been attending to the issue.
 
Presenting his condolences to the family, relatives and school mates of the deceased student, Minister Avcı went on to say:
 
“We have been repeatedly issuing warnings to school administrators about maintaining safety at schools. We have been auditing schools via supervisors sent from the central or provincial directorates but we unfortunately come across such saddening incidents from time to time. I, once more, would like to remind all our administrators, regional and provincial directors, education supervisors, school principals and administrators to be very careful not to experience such incidents again.”
 
“There is no trouble concerning the FATİH Project”
 
When Minister Avcı was asked about the allegations of education unions that the FATİH Project has failed, Minister Avcı responded, “It is not about the education unions, there is a big tender process concerning the project ahead of us, this is the reason of the delay, it will be an international tender.”
 
Noting that his ministry does not consider the FATİH project only as a program focusing on distribution of tablet computers to children, Minister Avcı went on to say:
 
“In addition to that, we see it as a big project that will lead to the development of computer technology both in terms of software and hardware, information technology and sector. Due to this reason, one of the most important components of the tender process concerning the purchase of 10 million and 600 thousand tablet computers which is a worldwide tender will be the local production ratio. In other words, companies which will enter the tender will be asked about the percentage of local production guarantee in different phases of the process. Due to this reason, some companies withdrew their offers. There were some delays in the commission meetings, there were other delays in the past, too. But, everything is going smoothly and there are no troubles concerning the project. Most particularly, backing down is completely out of question.”
 
“FATİH project is not only a software project, it is about the context at the same time”
 
Noting that studies carried out by the General Directorate of Innovation and Education Technologies were presented during the Parliamentary Budget talks, Minister Avcı said, “For the last three years, important steps concerning the context production were undertaken, our teachers have serious interest especially towards the context production.”
 
Ministry of National Education has a platform named Education Information Network and everyone can
easily access this platform without the need for a password, Minister Avcı explained adding that it is possible to access the education and training material produced by teachers from various different branches via this platform.
 
“The FATİH project is not only related to software, it is about the context at the same time and If Allah permits, we will declare in the shortest time possible,” stated Minister Avcı.
 
Minister Avcı said that a protocol which will be signed with the Telekom will quicken the context production process and noted, “In accordance, the FATİH project is progressing as expected and it is even gradually gaining speed.”
 
Answering a question of another journalist about claims that the students have broken the password of the tablets and use them for playing games, Minister Avcı said, “I am not sure if I should be critical and get annoyed with the students or should I say well done to them. Breaking the code and the password requires skill and research. It is clearly nice that children are curious but this example shows that we need more projects like this science center in order to direct this natural curiosity of children to the right channels that will allow them to satisfy their wish to achieve and to do something successful. Such projects like this center founded by the cooperation of the İstanbul Technical University, Development Agency and the Beyoğlu Municipality allow our children to direct their science, research and creativity skills to the right channels”.
 
Minister Avcı stressed that tablets should not be only considered as a game device and students should not forget that these tools are provided to them primarily as an education tool.
 
“Everything begins with the individual and continues with the individual”
 
“Everything begins with a pencil and eraser,” stated Minister Avcı and continued:
 
“And then computers allow us to put our thoughts into practice promptly and reach absolute calculations. Everything begins with the individual and continues with the individual, the rest are just tools. The Ministry of National Education, as the educators, has important responsibility in the prevention of certain abuses and allowing the best usage of these tools as education material. You, as the members of the media, have a responsibility, too. The press should avoid news stories and comments that will encourage and praise certain misusages”.
 
Answering allegations that a school located in Ankara has bad physical conditions, Minister Avcı said a statement on this issue will be released shortly.
 
Another journalist asked Minister Avcı’s views concerning the wish of 25 students, 17 of them being girls, from the Malatya Hasan Akbudak Vocational High School to go to Berlin for a one month long internship. Minister Avcı said vocational and technical training form a great part of the education system and noted that the country has achieved important success within this framework.
 
Minister Avcı said some vocational high school students had the opportunity for internship both in the country and abroad as a part of exchange programs and a number of students from Germany are coming to Turkey for internship.
 
Noting that guest students are hosted at the schools named as fellow schools Minister Avcı stated, “A tremendous synergy and energy emerges as a result of such activities. Consequently, not only students from Malatya but students from all over Turkey are conducting such relations especially in the vocational and technical education field within the framework of the European Union projects in order to see similar schools abroad, to visit and learn more about their laboratories and workshops and even develop some joint projects”.
 
Minister Avcı noted that the Ministry has been supporting such efforts as much as it could adding that, “Within this framework, we have currently 19 vocational and technical schools whose numbers would increase rapidly with the will of Allah launched in the organized industrial zones”.
 
Noting that financial support varying between TL 3 thousand 500 and 5 thousand 500 according to the requirements of department and section of vocational high schools are provided per student, Minister Avcı said, “We are sharing the administration of these schools with the organized industrial zone managements and it is an example pilot implementation in terms of forming a new management model. We will open exhibitions where we are going to display the products manufactured in these vocational and technical high schools of Turkey and I am sure that all of you will  be very surprised to see the level they have achieved”.