TURKEY GETS THE FIRST PLACE IN EUROPE WITH A 12,3 MILLION EUROS SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION

Lifelong Learning/Comenius Programme (LLP) aims to improve the quality of education, maintain an intercultural dialogue and encourage learning foreign languages. Results of the partnership project applications made in 2013 Call for Proposal Period has been declared. As a result of the evaluation made by the National Agency 12.3 million euros from 3013 budget of the Comenius Programme will be granted to 537 projects.

The grants are given to a wide range of schools and educational institutions including preschools, secondary schools, private schools and provincial directorates of national education. The grants will provide 15 thousand students and teachers the opportunity to work together with their counterparts in various European countries on their common fields of interest.

School education, one of the fields supported by the Turkish National Agency, attracted great interest again this year and 1830 applications was received. In consequence of the high number of applications the project subjects varied a great deal.

Within this framework, Turkish teachers, other educational staff and students will come together with shareholders from various schools and educational institutions in Europe and share the examples of best practices in a wide range of fields including: Cultural interaction, foreign language training, environmental awareness, protection of historical and cultural heritage, improvement of personal and social skills, fostering teamwork and cooperation, using information and communication technologies, sharing experiences on education and training methods and developing new methods, equal opportunities in education, promotion of extracurricular and physical activities.

When the results are evaluated on provincial basis it is seen that Istanbul got the first place in terms of project numbers. It is followed by Ankara, Izmir, Antalya and Mersin respectively. In terms of per capita grant amount Yalova, Nevsehir, Kirshir and Isparta got the first places.

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis made a statement on the support provided to school education and said:

“Projects carried out by the Turkish National Agency within the framework of Comenius Programme make contributions to improve the quality of education and make it a more attractive field. By this means, our teachers and students not only worked abroad jointly with their European counterparts but also hospitalised them in our country and introduced our culture, hospitality and professional successes to them. Up to now 76 million euros has been granted to nearly 3000 projects and within the framework of these projects more than 63 thousand teachers and students got the opportunity to go abroad. This year again 15 thousand Turkish citizens will get the opportunity to work together with their European colleagues and counterparts within the framework of 537 projects on school education. According to the results of the applications made to the European Commission’s Comenius Programme in 2013 Turkey got the first place in Europe both in terms of the number of applications and the amount of the budget allocated to the projects. I would like to take this occasion to thank all our institutions which paid attention to the Programme and had a share in this success of Turkey. I would also like to celebrate and wish success to the institutions the projects of which have been approved for the Comenius Programme 2013.”