The Project Coordination Meeting under the Education Infrastructure for Resilience Project executed by the Ministry of National Education was conducted between May 2-4, 2018 in Antalya.

Mr. Turan Akpınar, Deputy Undersecretary, Mr. Özcan Duman, Head of the Construction and Real Estate, Mr. Fatih Mehmet Oruç, Head of the Construction Works, Provincial Directorates of National Education, project staff of the Construction and Real Estate Department and Guest speakers participated in the event which has been conducted for contributing to the site implementations and coordination in 19 implementation provinces.

Information about the ongoing constructions and site provisions is provided by peer to peer communication with provinces during the Project Coordination Meeting which is also important as all implementers and the Project Implementation Unit are in Antalya. Information about the ongoing Project conveyed by the Provincial Directors was negotiated during the meeting.

During the meetings, opinion exchange was made about the Transition to the Single Shift Process of the Republic of Turkey in 2019.

Mr. Fatih Mehmet Oruç, Head of the Ministry of National Education made the opening speech during the event which lasted 3 days.

“Every child who has not integrated into education is a lost life”.

Mr. Fatih Mehmet Oruç, Head of the Construction Works who got the floor to deliver the opening speech told that “as you know a refugee flow has emerged following to the civil war in Syria in 2011. Mr. Oruç provided the digital data concerning to the Syrians Under Temporary Protection who have resided in Turkey and told that “in Turkey, 3.4 million Syrian have resided as per the figures in 2018 and 1,1 million of Syrians are between 5-18 aged who are at school-aged. Our common ground is our children between 5-18 aged. We believe that as the state, government and community we provide all kinds of support to our brothers, Syrians Under Temporary Protection”.

Mr. Fatih Mehmet Oruç stating the importance of integration of Syrian Children Under Temporary Protection into education emphasized one more time that “Each child who is not integrated into education means a lost life.

Mr. Oruç expressed that they not only construct classrooms for both our children and Syrian Children Under Temporary Protection but also “it is our primary objectives that children improve themselves mentally and socially”.

Mr. Fatih Mehmet Oruç mentioning about the size of the Project “this will be the greatest project which has been realized when we conduct this project in the amount of 475 million Euro together and this will be an example for everyone”.

Mr. Oruç stated that besides these schools they signed an additional agreement in the amount of 40 Million Euro which will minimize the energy consumption and decrease the energy efficiency and told that “important works will be conducted for Solar Farms, Solar systems on the school roofs, insulation and heating systems in 2019-2020”.

The Conducted Project Will Be Beneficial for Our Country and Community in the Educational Dimension as a Hope for Many Children.”

Mr. Özcan Duman delivered speech on the second day of the event and started his speech with the progress how this project has progressed from the beginning to today and how 215 school were constructed with 475 million Euro budget.

Mr. Özcan Duman told that “If we could not have established a high-level coordination with the provincial directorates and a cooperation environment in the project we would not have given this source to our people. Mr. Özcan Duman “These people presenting in this event are the main executers of the project although the process has dimensions such as AFAD, Governorships and the relevant institutions. Mr. Duman told that “The communication, relation and cooperation between the Construction and Real Estate Department and provincial directorates are really important”. Mr. Özcan Duman continued his speech that “It gave the high level cooperation within the project prominence”.

Mr. DUMAN underlined that the coordination meeting has three goals basically.

  • Establishing a common language for all in this hall who are the main executer during the project lifespan,
  • Developing common solutions for the problems faced during the executive process in cooperation and dialogue,
  • Increasing the information level in the important areas for the Project,

Mr. Duman expressed that among the other investment projects, the most important progress has currently been achieved within the Project which targets the Syrian Under Temporary Protection and is executed within MoNE. Mr. DUMAN also emphasized that the real heroes within this project are the Provincial Directorates along with the Project Implementation Unit.

Mr. Duman who told that the Project Coordination Meeting which lasted for 3 days is an important opportunity to solve the current problems and move forward ended his speech that “We are responsible for the construction of schools which are the keystone of the project. The Conducted Project Will Be Beneficial for Our Country and Community in the Educational Dimension as a Hope for Many Children.

“We not only construct the educational facilities but also prepare a hopeful future for the Syrian children”.

Deputy Undersecretary Turan Akpınar who delivered speech during the meeting started his speech by underlining that “It is really critical both for our country and future of Syrians to ensure the access of the Syrian children to the educational opportunities.

“Education is a basic right of every child in all over the world. This is guaranteed with 42 nd Article of the Turkish Law. Education is a protected right by convention on the children and human rights for each child in Turkey”.

Mr. Akpınar continued his speech that “We know each child who is not integrated in education means a lost life”. He also conveyed that considering the social risks of the school dropout the Syrian children under temporary protection will face to dependency, delinquency, child labor and various risks”.

Mr. Akpınar addressed other dimension of the constructed schools and told that these should be considered as increasing demand for education in the current school, decreasing of the pressure over the implementation area and ensuring better educational environments for the children.

Mr. Akpınar underlined the provision of the site and told that “It is important to solve the problems in the site provision. We also witness each step taken closely and target the solution of each problem”. He also conveyed that the implemented project will pay the road for the next projects.

Mr. Turan AKPINAR quoted a speech with Pakistanis on a trip to Pakistan. Pakistanis told that “we are informed that a large number of Syrians have come to Turkey. Please educate these children good. Do not make the same fault that we made during the war of Afghanistan. Thus, as the Provincial Directors, Project Implementation Unit and Construction and Real Estate Department “We not only construct the educational facilities but also a good future. I hope you do not forget this during the work performance”. He also emphasized the importance of educating Syrian children in Turkey.

The Project Coordination Meeting was finalized after the meetings made by the information of the project implementation unit, bilateral negotiations and provincial directorates.