The T.R. Ministry of National Education and TÜBA Have Signed a Cooperation Protocol
On April 16, 2015 Minister of National Education Prof. Dr. Nabi Avcı and TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar signed a “Cooperation Protocol” to establish collaboration between the MNE and TÜBA on science education and events relevant to this subject.
With the events that are organized the TÜBA will work together with the Ministry of National Education on the Science Education Project, which aims to bring local and foreign scientific experts related to the issues directly together with groups of teachers that are interested in science education, to create an internet portal that will provide support to teachers by presenting sample applications and materials with easy access over the internet; in short, to popularize the inquiry-based teaching concept and applications in our country and introduce scientists to our young people according to the signed protocol.
Minister of National Education Prof. Dr. Nabi Avcı said: “With the signing of this protocol today between the Ministry of National Education and TÜBA, we have now started collaboration with the special purpose of increasing the quality of teachers.”
In the statement made by Minister of National Education (MNE) Prof. Dr. Nabi Avcı after the signing of the protocol he said “With the signing of this protocol today between the Ministry of National Education and TÜBA, we have now started collaboration with the special purpose of increasing the quality of teachers. The primary target audience for the program has been determined as 5th, 6th and 7th grade mathematics, science and social studies teachers. Everywhere in the world science academies are forming committees like this with relevant educational institutions and ministries so that teachers can be encouraged to follow the latest developments and create teaching methods accordingly. Today we have also placed our first signatures on a beneficial project with the Turkish Academy of Sciences. First of all we, as the Ministry of National Education, will utilize the accumulated knowledge and support of TÜBA to enable our teachers, starting with our mathematics teachers at the head of our target audience from the 5th grade up in every level, to learn more effective and entertaining class techniques and be able to follow the developments in their field. I wish to thank the TÜBA President and each of the Science Board members individually for this undertaking.
Our first event within the scope of this project will take place at the Gazi University Education Faculty located in Ankara, in May and the 20 teachers we have assigned will train for a period of 5 days during which nearly 10 different education modules and information in various scientific fields will be taught by 13 teaching staff members, who are experts in their fields, and TÜBA members. I believe that a wide field has been opened up for us with this protocol. Over time the education work we have started will spread like waves in water. The first teachers we train will be prepared as formatter teachers, if this definition is correct, and after their training they will return to their own districts and schools to help their colleagues benefit from this training. We have hereby started an undertaking with which we will eventually reach great numbers over time”. He concluded his speech by thanking the Turkish Academy of Sciences and the Academy President Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar.
TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar: “We, as the Academy, have reactivated the ‘Science Education Project’ in the context of contributions we can make to the Turkish education system.”
The Academy President Prof. Dr Acar said “The main duty of TÜBA, Turkey’s national academy, is to develop scientific policies, to recognize and support scientists and their achievements and in the meantime to provide scientific based consultation on the subjects of science and education to the government, the public and relevant organizations and institutions. Actually many events have taken place to date in the scope of the ‘Science Education Program’, which was started in 2002, and the project received financial support from the Ministry of Development in the years 2008-2011. Currently we do not have this kind of support but, in the context of contributions we can make to the Turkish national education system as TÜBA, we have reactivated this project. In this scope a task group has been created called the Science Education Task Group comprised of TÜBA members and the MNE administrators in which the goal is to make education in especially basic sciences like science, mathematics and social studies more effective. As you will acknowledge, despite all efforts the results in efficacy of teachers especially in the fields of science and mathematics are not yet at the levels we want. Therefore we believe that in the interest of compensating for our deficiencies in these areas, each organization must carry out the responsibilities that are assigned to them. With the responsibilities of being Turkey’s national academy, we wish to provide our support to this sacred mission to build the future of our Turkey that our Ministry of National Education has undertaken. With this protocol we will organize events to make education, especially in the fields of science and mathematics, more efficient through training and development. Our target audience is foremost our teachers but our parents and students may also be subject to training within the scope of this program. TÜBA is primarily targeting all fields rather than any one of the sub-fields like preschool, secondary school or lifelong learning in particular, however we encounter these programs on the agenda of world academies more at the 2nd and 3rd level of education. Therefore in May, we will be back in operation with a 5 day program that includes the training of 20 teachers. I would like to extend my gratitude to dear Mr. Minister for the courtesy and cooperation he has shown. On the occasion of achieving these results I would also like to express my gratitude to the TÜBA members and the administrators of the Ministry of National Education”.
