Reactions were not taken into consideration! The Board of Education approved the new curriculum.

The reactions of education unions and the opposition to the new curriculum draft of the Ministry of National Education (MEB) were not taken into account. Prof. Dr. Demirli, the President of the Board of Education and Discipline of the Ministry of National Education, announced that all opinions and suggestions received for the Turkey Century Education Model were reflected in the curriculum and that the new curriculum has been approved by the Board of Education and Discipline.



Prof. Dr. Cihad Demirli, the President of the Board of Education and Discipline of the Ministry of National Education, made statements regarding the work carried out after all opinions and suggestions received from the public regarding the new curriculum draft were considered in accordance with the principles of transparency, scientificity, and inclusiveness.



Demirli stated that during the suspension period, which started on April 26, the curriculum draft for 9 courses within the scope of the Turkey Century Education Model prepared by the General Directorate of Secondary Education, the curriculum draft for 10 courses prepared by the General Directorate of Primary Education, and the curriculum draft for 7 courses prepared by the General Directorate of Religious Education were presented to the public for their opinions and suggestions. He stated that during this period, the draft was viewed 1,662,780 times and 67,284 opinions and suggestions were received.



Demirli pointed out that during this process, 58% of the opinions and suggestions came from teachers.



In this context, Demirli stated that 38,865 opinions and suggestions were received from teachers regarding the new curriculum draft, while 28,419 opinions were expressed by non-governmental organizations, education platforms, and other stakeholders. The rate of these stakeholders was 42%.



Demirli said that one-third of the opinions received were related to the common text, and one-sixth were related to the preschool education program.



Regarding how the opinions and suggestions received during the suspension period were evaluated, Demirli shared the following information: "All opinions and suggestions received regarding the new curriculum draft were carefully evaluated by our Board of Education and Discipline. The opinions and suggestions were shared with the commissions of the Board of Education and Discipline and the relevant general directorates during the suspension period. The 67,284 opinions and suggestions received from education stakeholders were classified one by one. In this context, some general revisions were made in the curriculum. The opinions and suggestions were evaluated in accordance with the principles of transparency, scientificity, and inclusiveness and reflected in the curriculum. The new curriculum, including 26 courses related to the Turkey Century Education Model, was discussed and approved by the Board of Education and Discipline on May 16-22."



The new curriculum will be implemented gradually starting from the next academic year, beginning with preschool, 1st grade of primary school, 5th grade of middle school, and 9th grade of high school.



After the approval of the Board of Education and Discipline, the new curriculum programs can be accessed through the Ministry's website.



When the draft of the new curriculum was still in the draft stage, it was criticized by NGOs, education unions, and the opposition. The draft received backlash for reducing scientific content and increasing "morality" lessons. The President of the Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim İş), Özbay, asked, "Are you training disciples in a monastery?" The Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim Sen) criticized the curriculum, stating that it was prepared to raise generations that do not think, question, criticize, object, and interpret.



Speaking at the education rally in Istanbul's Saraçhane Square, the leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Özgür Özel, criticized the new curriculum, saying, "You can save reputation, but you cannot save education." Özel also stated, "In this curriculum, the expressions 'Republic of Turkey' have been changed to 'Turkey.' A minister who has a problem with the Republic is imposing a curriculum that has a problem with the Republic. This curriculum is null and void for those who have a problem with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his friends."



The CHP parliamentary group marched to the Ministry of National Education in protest of the new curriculum, calling it the "outdated education manifesto of the AKP government."



TÜSİAD (Turkish Industry and Business Association) called for not rushing the curriculum change in education, which is a real existential issue. The Democratic Party (DEMPAR) Member of Parliament for Iğdır, Yılmaz Hun, emphasized that the draft does not include all segments of society and demanded its withdrawal as soon as possible. Hun called for the preparation of an education program based on collective intelligence and perspective that includes all segments of society and is pluralistic, egalitarian, and freedom-oriented.