Minister of National Education Özer made a statement regarding the earthquake region and education process. Özer reminded that schools in all education levels will be opened on February 20 in 71 provinces. He stressed that compulsory attendance will not be required from students at all classes and levels in the second term in 10 provinces.

 

Stating that accommodation centers such as tent centers, dormitories and container centers are included in the scope of transported education, Minister Özer stated that the students here will provide free transportation between the school and their accommodation. Reminding that families in 10 provinces can transfer their children to schools in other provinces, Özer said that there is no capacity problem in primary and secondary schools. Noting that there are 1 million 29 thousand students in high schools in 10 provinces, Özer said that they created a student capacity of 1 million 279 thousand in 71 provinces and 3 thousand 681 students were transferred to other provinces.

 

Reminding that private education institutions have increased the requirement for full scholarship students to study from 3 percent to 10 percent, Özer underlined that the new 7 percent capacity will be used for students in 10 provinces. Sharing that private education institutions have a capacity of 25 thousand 133 students, Özer noted that 828 students have benefited from this right so far.

 

Emphasizing that 24 of the 20 thousand 868 buildings affiliated to the Ministry were destroyed in 10 provinces where earthquakes were experienced, Özer stated that they suspended education in 10 provinces until March 1 to complete the damage assessment work for all buildings by the end of February. Stating that there will be district and school-based transition to education in 10 provinces after March 1, Özer said that they will immediately start education in districts and regions if it is safe. Stating that they will start double-shift education in these regions, Özer said that they have set up 341 psychosocial support, play and activity tents for children in all tent centers and assembly areas in 10 provinces, and that preschool teachers, guidance teachers and psychological counselors have started to serve in these tents.

 

Özer reminded that the second semester subjects in the High School Transition System (LGS) and the second semester subjects of the 12th grade in the Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) will not be included in the exam. Explaining that 465 thousand citizens receive accommodation services in schools, dormitories, practice hotels and teachers' houses and 25 thousand citizens in 71 provinces, Özer said that 1 million 488 thousand 362 hot meals are served by 406 thousand people in vocational high schools, teachers' homes and practice hotels. He said that 1 million 894 thousand 362 meals, including soup, are prepared and distributed to the citizens of our 10 provinces every day. Stating that 97 mobile kitchens serve in 10 provinces, Özer noted that 1 million 600 thousand loaves of bread are produced and distributed in 10 provinces every day in the ovens established in vocational high schools 6 months ago. Stating that 4 thousand 526 teachers from the Ministry of National Education Search and Rescue Unit (MEB AKUB) provide psychological support to the search and rescue efforts in the region, and 4 thousand guidance teachers and psychological counselors provide psychological support to the citizens, Özer noted that 10 thousand stoves produced in vocational high schools have been distributed to earthquake zones. Özer stated that 1000 tents and 60 thousand sleeping bags are produced in vocational high schools, public education centers and advanced technical schools per day. Özer mentioned that in addition to 16 thousand volunteer teachers who came to the earthquake zone from outside provinces support the organizations in the field together with 212 thousand teachers in the earthquake zone.