Cooperation Protocol on Secondary Education Institutions Giving Naval Education was signed during a ceremony participated by Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk and Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Adil Karaismailoğlu.  

 

Stating that the new type of corona virus has led a great transformation, Selçuk said that the entire world is still trying to figure out the impact of this transformation for the future.

 

Selçuk stated that vocational and technical education has a special place among the components of education adding that the fundamental mission of vocational education is to raise the work force and reinforce the connection between education and the sector as well as the detecting the needs of the sector.

 

"We are here to fulfill this mission. We are determined to respond to the needs of the  maritime sector. We carried out a special project in cooperation with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure about opening vocational and technical schools that prioritize employment. We signed this cooperation protocol within this context," said Selçuk.

 

Minister Selçuk stated that there are 48 vocational and technical high schools that provide naval training in an effort to educate a qualified workforce for the sector and 6 of those schools will be renewed and transformed in line with the cooperation protocol.  

 

Maritime staff will contribute to vocational education

Minister Selçuk said that maritime staff working at the Port Authority will be assigned to give vocational lessons in case of a need as a part of this protocol.

 

The protocol also foresees the training of existing teachers in these vocational schools, establishment of new workshops and labs, internship in international maritime companies and port and ship visits.

 

Minister Selçuk stressed that vocational high schools showed remarkable performance during the global pandemic and this success set a good example for the entire world.

 

Meanwhile, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Adil Karaismailoğlu Turkey has become more active and productive in political, economic and commercial activities as well as its domination in the maritime sector adding that: "In order to achieve sustainable success we have to educate competent seamen in constantly updated schools. Due to this reason, this cooperation is extremely important. As a part of our common project, we will show an examplery cooperation between the school and the sector in 6 selected vocational and technical high schools. We will educate seamen who have a good command of updated professional knowledge and foreign language, high self-confidence, capable of making crucial decisions and have the psychological sensitivity and strength required by the profession.

 

Minister Karaismailoğlu pointed out that education program of the vocational schools giving naval education will be planned according to the needs of the sector and in line with the requirements of the century adding that, "Both Ministries will constantly watch and make periodical assessment of vocational schools by using the quality standard system. The need for seaman experts of these schools will be provided from the human resources of our Ministry."

 

Karaismailoğlu stated that both ministries will provide education materials and make contributions to the development of workshops and labs as well as giving internship and employment opportunities in international maritime companies.

 

"Turkish seamen will successfully represent our country in the global arena. Recently, Denmark and Hong Kong announced that they will employ Turkish seamen and we believe that the number of such countries will increase in a very short period of time," said Minister Karaismailoğlu. 

 

Underlining that Turkey will become a brand country in the near future with its technology, work force and experience, Karaismailoğlu said, "Due to this reason, cooperation between universities, high schools, educators and private sector is very important. We must give inspiration to our young people. We must show that they must not fear dreaming and test their limits."

 

The protocol was prepared for the assessment of institutions for naval education within the context of the STCW Agreement of the International Maritime Organization in order to educate top quality workforce demanded by the maritime sector. As a part of the protocol, both ministries will provide the coordination and cooperation between the Seaman Employment Office in Turkey and project schools. Education programs and materials of these schools will be mainly in foreign languages. 

 

Schools will be furnished with workshops and labs and maritime staff working in the Port Authority will support vocational lessons in case of a need.