5’th Steering Committee has been held in Ankara for Projects on Education Infrastructure for Resilience and Education for All in Times of Crisis I, II & III. The meeting was held in Ankara with the participation of Deputy Minister of National Education Mr. Reha DENEMEÇ, Head of Construction and Real Estate Department of MoNE Mr. Umut GÜR, Head of Construction Works Department of MoNE Mr. Fatih Mehmet ORUÇ, Head of Section Facility for Refugees in Turkey of EU Delegation to Turkey Mr. Libor CHLAD, KfW Head of Division Municipal Infrastructure and Transport Southeast Europe and Turkey Mr. Kirk MILDNER, The World Bank Program Leader Ms. Heba ELGAZZAR, Project Implementation Unit Experts and related Ministry representatives.

In the opening speech of the program, Deputy Minister Mr. Reha DENEMEÇ expressed his views on the current situation in the projects, schooling rates, construction progress, the Environment and Social Management Framework, new school packages planned to be built, preparations and new steps.

DENEMEÇ claimed; “We carried out important processes in the field of education with the efforts of the international community and our state. We increased the schooling rate of our Syrian children to 62%. Schooling rates are around 91%, especially in primary schools. This is a positive growing, but it is important to increase this schooling rate in secondary and high schools.”

“66 schools have been completed. We aim to open many new schools before the new education season.”

DENEMEÇ ended his speech with saying; “Education for All in Times of Crisis I, II & III and Education Infrastructure for Resilience Projects are investment projects. A total of 66 schools, 42 prefabricated and 24 reinforced concrete, have been completed since the beginning of the project. Thus, an additional capacity of 46.000 students was created. Our 82 schools, which are under construction, are planned to be ready for the 2021 academic year. Therefore, the number of schools completed is targeted to be 146. With the performance of the contractors and the increase in the performance of the project team, we plan to open more schools to the service of our children.”

Head of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) Mr. Umut GUR, expressed the current status of the project, work accident frequency rate and the average of Turkey, changes in communication strategy, images from ongoing constructions and finished schools, and future implementation period goals to the participants in his presentation.

GUR stated that; “Everyone embraces the project and the smallest developments are discussed with the relevant stakeholders. I think that we are successful, at least in preventing delays on the public side. I can say that we did not have any serious problems after the period in 2018.” After the presentation ends GUR ended his words with; “The temporary acceptance process is a period in which the investments we have made in the project are covered in flesh. As we see the results we share with you through photos and videos today, we are also happy.”

Mr. Libor CHLAD began his words with; “The ultimate goal in our work is to deliver quality education to everyone and leave no one behind from these opportunities. We have business items that will be emphasized and seriously completed for both you and us. That’s why we have a great cooperation. We are trying to overcome the obstacles we face, with the World Bank, KfW and the Ministry of National Education.

CHLAD also touched on the subject of occupational safety and ended his words with; “In terms of standards, we need to ensure that the rules are respected, not only on paper but also in the field. I was very pleased with the steps taken in this direction.”

CHLAD finally said; “We are trying to meet the forecasted needs of the future at the right time, in the right way, with the interventions as a result of our cooperation.”

Under the Education for All in Times of Crisis I, II & III and Education Infrastructure for Resilience Projects, 401 educational structures are planned to be built in 19 provinces. It is aimed to create an additional education capacity of 191.800 students with these educational structures.

The Steering Committee Meeting ended after the project’s working period until the next meeting, planned activities, participant opinions, question and answer section and commemorative photos.