Minister Özer noted that the country witnessed a historical transformation in education in the last 19 years and it reached schooling rates that OECD countries achieved in the 1950s during this period.

 

"There has been an important increase in all levels of education but female students benefited most. We have managed to solve the problems concerning access of female students to education during this period," said Minister Özer.

 

Reminding that there have been important developments in the democratization of education, Özer stressed, "Our women failed to receive education due to the headscarf issue but this was not analyzed as a part of violence against women. In addition to being a constitutional offense, it was violence against women."

 

Özer said that the number of women enrolled in public education courses in 2021 was 1.6 million and the goal of the Ministry for 2022 is to enroll 7 million women in public education courses.

 

Amendments in the Vocational Education Law were another factor that increased the access of female students to education institutions.

 

Özer stated that the number of women enrolled in vocational education institutes increased from 27,000 to 80,000 after the amendments and 19 percent of these students are above 50 years old. 

  

"One of the most important long term contributions to the elimination of violence against women" 

"Our important instrument is counselors and psychological advisors at schools. There are approximately 60,000 counselors and psychological advisors employed at schools and all of them attended training programs. We will carry out active awareness programs against all kinds of violence and addictions. It will be maybe one of the most important long term contributions to the elimination of violence against women," said Minister Özer.

 

He added that public education centers will also carry out studies with the purpose of eliminating violence against women, anger management and other parameters.  

 

Minister Özer noted that there are 57,108 schools in the education system adding that, "We are working in an effort to maintain a healthy base for administrator, teacher, student and parent relations. There is zero tolerance towards violence and peer bullying is prevented effectively. We will continue to organize violence prevention training programs for school administrators. Violence against women, peer bullying and addictions will be the main items of these training programs."