President Erdoğan received Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer and the children from the earthquake zone in Istanbul at the Dolmabahçe Office on the occasion of April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day.

 

Greeting his guests one by one, Erdoğan left his seat to Akif Uçar, symbolically left his seat to Akif Uçar, a fifth-grader transferred from quake-hit Hatay, Kırıkhan to İstanbul.

 

Stating that they have been working day and night for 21 years and want to crown the level they have brought the country with the Century of Türkiye, President Erdoğan said they are making an intense preparation and effort to reach this aim.

 

Expressing his joy over the implementation of a large number of projects including the domestically-produced TCG Anadolu warship, Erdoğan said that there are not only achievements and gains but also disasters and losses in the course of life. Stating that more than 50 thousand citizens lost their lives and left behind their beloved ones, Erdoğan wished Allah''s mercy upon all brothers and sisters who passed away in the earthquake disaster.

 

Emphasizing that the state and the nation have mobilized all their means to heal the wounds of the earthquake and stand with those affected, Erdoğan said that he believes he will pay his debt of loyalty to the earthquake martyrs and their relatives by achieving the "Century of Türkiye". Expressing that the Turkish Nation has left behind many badires, attacks and disasters with unity, solidarity and brotherhood, Erdoğan said. Hopefully, they will erase the traces of the February 6 earthquakes in the same way, he said.

 

Addressing the children, Erdoğan asked children to educate themselves in the best manner in line with science and values, living up to the trust the nation has in them. He wished them a happy April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children's Day.

 

11-year-old Akif Uçar, symbolically chaired the representative Cabinet Meeting and stated that he would have built many structures like President Erdoğan have done, taken defense industry and technologies forward, built houses as soon as possible, focused  on space studies, increased the variety and number of autonomous vehicles and smart roads, decreased traffic accidents. Provided medical care, focused on medicine and ensured to find a cure for the cancer if he were the President.

 

Speaking as the representative of the Minister of National Education at the meeting, the student stated that he would have worked hard like the Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer, provided books and stationery needs. The student also noted that there are no shortcomings in the dormitory in education.

 

A student, who is the symbolic Minister of Youth and Sports, stated that he would have built a hockey field and a volleyball court  in Gaziantep Şehitkamil district, which does not have a volleyball court. Following this statement, President Erdoğan instructed Özer to work on this matter. Minister Özer replied that they built fields and courts in all available gardens with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, but they will look at the mentioned schools once again.

 

The student, who is the representative of the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, stated that he/she would have put recycling boxes in each park and make recycling mandatory, so that the environment cannot be  polluted and climate change can be prevented.

 

Representing the Minister of Industry and Technology, the student said that he could not complete his speech yet. Thereupon, President Erdoğan reminded the student that, as the Ministry of Industry and Technology, he had taken a huge step forward by enabling the production of TOGG, the smart car, and thanked him for this step. 

 

Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer thanked the President Erdoğan for receiving him and the children in his office.

 

Emphasizing that the biggest budget has always been allocated to education and young people during the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government, Özer said that very important support is given for strengthening equality of opportunity in education via social policies, distribution of books, supplementary resources, scholarships, free meals. Özer thanked the President on behalf of students and teachers for the support they have given to education.

 

President Erdoğan also thanked Minister Özer on the occasion of April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day, and wished children success in their studies and governing the country.

 

The largest warship of the Turkish Armed Forces, nationally and domestically-produced TCG Anadolu, came to the shores of Dolmabahçe Office during the passage through the Bosphorus and greeted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Meanwhile, Erdoğan was accompanied by his wife Emine Erdoğan, Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer and earthquake survivors who came to visit on the occasion of April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children's Day.