This vocational high school in Van is almost like a factory, with a turnover reaching 5 million lira.

Students from the Furniture and Interior Design department at Mehmet Erdemoğlu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in the İpekyolu district of Van are producing furniture for schools and institutions in the city and Hakkari.

THEY WORK LIKE A FACTORY

The team, consisting of 15 students, 7 of whom are girls, has produced tables, benches, cabinets, and library shelves, as well as table tennis tables and basketball hoops for various schools. This vocational high school, which operates like a factory, generated an annual revenue of 5 million lira. Students involved in production are paid according to the workload each month.

"WE FOCUS MORE ON PRACTICAL CLASSES"

Hazım Öter, the teacher and department head of the Furniture Department, stated that they have been producing products such as tables, benches, and cabinets for all schools for three years, saying, "Our students who graduate from this school can obtain master instructor certificates. With the certificates they receive, they can also open their own businesses. We place more emphasis on practical classes outside of theoretical education."

"WE MADE FURNITURE FOR 25 KINDERGARTENS"

Öter mentioned that they carry out this work with 15 students selected from the 11th and 12th grades, stating, "We do this work outside of class hours and on weekends. This year, according to the order list given to us by the District National Education Directorate, we made all the tables, chairs, and cabinets for the administrative rooms and libraries of approximately 25 kindergartens."

"OUR ANNUAL REVENUE IS AROUND 5 MILLION LIRA"

Öter expressed that they produced table tennis tables for 55 schools in Hakkari last year, saying, "We also made libraries for 55 schools. Based on the jobs given to us by the Van Metropolitan and İpekyolu municipalities, we built libraries for schools. Since last year, we have produced cabinets, tables, and chairs for the libraries of 220 schools. Our annual revenue is around 5 million lira each year. Our school operates like a factory."