Minister Tekin's secularism remarks: "My interpretation is different from your understanding of secularism"

Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin, regarding the Constitutional Court's (AYM) decision to annul certain articles of the Teaching Profession Law, stated, "We will hold consultations with stakeholders within the 9-month period granted by the AYM, and we will evaluate any different proposals that may come forward.

If no different proposals are received or no sound text is reached, we will make our regulations regarding the expected articles in line with the AYM's annulment decision based on the existing text.

We are conducting serious research and will take the necessary steps," he said.

Stating that education is a field where everyone produces formulas from their own perspective, Tekin explained that they have been acting with a mechanism of exchange of views in the decisions and changes they have made since he started his ministerial role, and expressed that there are shortcomings and that they will take measures regarding them.

"THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE STEPS WE HAVE TAKEN REGARDING SECULARISM"

Regarding the 'secularism in education' debates brought up by some members of parliament, Minister Tekin said, "I do not accept any of the criticisms made here regarding secularism.

My interpretation, which I have read in scientific texts, is different from your understanding of secularism. I define secularism as the freedom of religious belief and worship, while some of our friends still construct it within the framework of a traditional French-style understanding that prevents people belonging to certain religions and beliefs from experiencing their freedom of belief and expression in a healthy way.

There is a difference in understanding here. I would like to assure you on this matter; there is no problem with the steps we have taken in this regard," he said.

"WE WILL MAKE REGULATIONS IN LINE WITH THE AYM'S ANNULMENT DECISION"

Speaking about the discussions on the Teaching Profession Law at the AYM, Tekin said, "At the end of this process, the AYM gave us a 9-month period. We will hold the necessary consultations with all stakeholders in the education sector during this period, and we will evaluate if different proposals come from the field.

If no different proposals are received or no sound text is reached, we will make our regulations regarding the expected articles in line with the AYM's annulment decision based on the existing text. We are conducting serious research and will take the necessary steps," he said.

Tekin noted the following in response to criticisms regarding project schools:

"Our goal in project schools is to organize vocational high schools that will train intermediate staff or intermediate labor force needed in vocational education by talking to the sector in terms of vocational high schools. Provided that the school's academic education remains under our control. There are approximately 460 schools of this type, which we call project and thematic vocational high schools, related to vocational high schools. These were created through protocols."

"RESPONSIBLE TEAM CREATED"

Stating that all abuses occurring in Vocational Training Centers (MESEM) were prevented with the regulation made in June, Tekin said regarding the work the Ministry has done in the regions affected by the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, "We report our preparations regarding the earthquake zone every month. We have created a team responsible for the provinces in the earthquake zone. A colleague or our commission in the Ministry's central organization is in contact with provincial administrators.

Problems there are resolved instantly or shared with the relevant parties to be resolved. We are sensitive about the earthquake zone.

This is a situation that our President also insistently suggests. We are sensitive about this issue, and we are making efforts to resolve those that reach us immediately," he stated.

"WE WILL EXCEED THE FIGURES BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE"

Tekin continued as follows:

"The number of schools destroyed in the earthquake zone is almost non-existent. We had a total of 119 thousand 200 classrooms in the region before the earthquake. After the earthquake, the destroyed..."