MINISTRY OF EDUCATION KIRSEHIR PROVINCIAL

DIRECTORATE

TURKISH VET REFLECTIONS

22-24 APRIL 2013 – MODENA WORKSHOP

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CURRENT VET SITUATION IN TURKEY

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WHY…

Turkey has entered the same fast track with the advanced countries and the current aim is

to bridge the gap ... Turkey, within its perspective to join EU, has to achieve a sound, structural transformation, at the basis of which lies producing and exporting high value added

goods. One of the primary conditions for achieving this goal is qualified labor force.

That is why we announce that Vocational High School is the problem of this country.

Mustafa Koç (CEO of the influential KOC group in Turkey)

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WHY…

The source of unemployment today stems from the fact that what the industry needs and the skills our schools produce do not

correspond to each other

(the Chairman of The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey Hisarcıklıoğlu, 2006)

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Number of Schools, Students and Teachers in Vocational and Technical

Secondary Education in the Scholastic Year 2010-20115

TURKISH VET ANALYSIS

As seen in Table 1, the student/teacher ratio is high in Turkey with 18.19 at an

average compared to European countries in which the ratio is about 10 at an

average and there is a trend to fall down on behalf of students (Nielsen, 2004). The student/teacher ratio in Turkish TVET high schools is nearly twice higher than those

of European countries.

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TURKISH VET ANALYSIS

Although that issue looks a strain, that high student/teacher ratio can be an

opportunity for the graduates of Technical and Vocational Education Faculties to be appointed as TVET teachers when taken

into consideration the fact that in 2010 in Turkey 70000 people graduated from technical education faculties were still

expecting to be appointed as a teacher for TVET high schools.

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TURKISH VET ANALYSIS

On the condition that all of the 70000 ex-graduates are appointed as a technical and vocational teacher, the ratio will be approximately 10 students per teacher.

Thus this arrangement can solve the unemployment problem of ex-graduates of

technical and vocational education faculties.

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GENERAL EDUCATION SYSTEM

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CURRENT SYSTEM OF VET

Relations of Institutions – Industry The method of execution regarding the relations between the

vocational secondary education institutions and the business world is regulated by a legal framework

with 3308 numbered Vocational Education Law/Mesleki Eğitim Kanunu and Vocational and

Technical Education Regulation/Mesleki ve Teknik Eğitim Yönetmeliği.

Gaining experience in businesses is the fundamental element for the students attending

vocational and technical education in Turkey. Such relation is furnished by means of the skill education denominated as “Vocational Training in Enterprises”,

executed on the basis of institution – business partnership.

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CURRENT SYSTEM OF VET

Vocational education in enterprises commence with the start of academic year and ends as the end of academic year. Skill education in the enterprise for three days of the week and theoretical education in

the institution or educational unit for two days of the week is essential. (Article 191).

In cases when it is not possible to render vocational training in the enterprises, the pupils are obliged to

undergo an internship period in an enterprise.

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CURRENT SYSTEM OF VET

The term for this internship period is stipulated as not less than 300 hours

(Article 59). Furthermore, it is obligatory to form placement to work and monitoring

unit in vocational and technical education institutions for the graduates (placement

to work and monitoring unit).

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PROBLEMS IN VET IN TURKEY

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Problems related to administration and legislation of

education

Decision-making process is concentrated, lack of autonomy of school managers to adapt and be responsive to the rapidly changing needs of the school environment industry.

Insufficient participation of companies, at local level, in decision making processes about education.

Need to update the legal frame according to present needs.

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Problems related to curriculum development

Curricula have been developed without taking into account business needs.

Curricula built following a "narrow specialisation fields" approach: lack of a broad basic foundation of skills and knowledge in graduates.

Although, the apprenticeship system is better meeting the needs of youngsters and adults, than the formal education system because it provides apprentices with a broader range of taught skills.

Not enough transference of concepts, abilities and skills from "general academic" courses to the world of work.

A flexible structure integrating formal and non-formal education systems could not be established.

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Problems related to educational methodology

Teaching methods applied are incompatible with students' learning styles.

A different teaching approach with stronger training support- is needed.

Educational technology resources cannot be utilized adequately.

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Problems related to vocational orientation, information and

counselling

There is not enough network information about career awareness. Insufficient counseling mainly at basic education level.

Insufficient job placement services

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Problems related to assessment and certification in education

A testing system based on occupational standards does not exist. A relationship with international standards has not been developed.

A relationship between occupational standards and certification systems has not been developed.

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Problems related to teachers

Teachers do not have enough contacts and experience with companies.

They do not have enough training (either pre-service or in-service).

Unbalanced geographical distribution of teachers in the country

Accumulation in certain branches occurs in big cities. Insufficient salaries to compete with industry.

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WHY & HOWSuggestions….

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IDEAS…

The student is motivated in such a way that and they are inculcated such beliefs that they assume that the brand

will collapse were it not for them. In other words, they are told that they are significant and they are the ones to

improve Toyota or they are the ones to increase the quality of Toyota. You are a part of this system … A state of

belonging is inspired and the message that they are a member of a big family is conveyed. This, of course, directly binds the student. Their shirts are different.

Volkswagen or Mercedes is written on their back. The color is different. They are perceived in a different way at school.

«A teacher’s statement from Labor»

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WHY & HOW

Lack of industrial oriented approach. For years, schools and curricula have been

organized and implemented regardless of the realities of the world of work.

In modern industry, there are new capabilities and skills that workers should

havein order to perform efficiently

(communication skills, team spirit, interaction and

co-operation with peers, solving problem attitudes, etc.).

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WHY & HOW

Full financial responsibility of the Government. All the financial load of the vocational training

falls on governmental budget. As it is known this "full financial responsibility" also implies that the government should make

decisions about allocation of funds.

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WHY & HOW

The establishment of Occupational Standards is a process already started in Turkey, which needs to be continued to reach a higher number of occupational

families- and reinforced, through a wider participation of actors coming from the industry and the research environment.

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WHY & HOW

Curriculum Development activities should be consolidated and improved, also by

involving a wider number of actors, in its production and final approval by the Board

of Education. Curricula should reach the level of training programs, adopting a

modular methodology.

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WHY & HOW

In the management of the schools it is required to allow a margin of autonomy enabling schools to make an active use of this flexible and adapted

curricula. This autonomy should also lead schools to establish partnership arrangements

with companies concerned by the type of training provided by the schools. Partnerships

should include: definition and updating of training needs, agreements of training activities

(in schools and in companies), equipment required in the schools' workshops, training of trainers, final placements of school students in

companies.

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WHY & HOW

Training provision and its results should be evaluated according to holistic methods

assessing the following issues: Not only the students knowledge (in form of a

subject-centred exam), but The actual acquisition of skills and abilities acquired

(according to the Occupational Standards), The training programmes followed by these

students, The conditions in which they have been provided (resources, quality of the

partnerships), and Their readiness to start working in companies and accomplish the

corresponding tasks

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Strengthening the institutional capacity of training stakeholders.

The previous recommendation is based on effective partnership agreements between the school system and the industry. Such a

strategy requires the different training stakeholders to be capable of undertaking

their obligations, according to a new sharing of responsibilities among public

administration, the social partners' representatives and individual companies.

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Establish an open, flexible and transparent Continuing Training

System

Next challenge -following vocational training improvement- should be building

from this base a system to apply the principle of life-long learning. The

extension of Continuing Training activities to a larger number of companies

(particularly to SMEs) is a clear need for any economy facing globalization

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NEXT PHASE !!!

We are trying to raise the number of the students attending Vocational Education in Secondary Education due to high level of need in industrial sector…

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TEŞEKKÜRLER THANK YOU

DANKESCHÖN GRAZIE

22-24 APRIL 2013MODENA, IT

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION KIRSEHIR PROVINCIAL DIRECTORATEhttp://kirsehir.meb.gov.tr

arge40@meb.gov.tr

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