Eğitim-İş reacts to Ministry of National Education's curriculum changes: 'It has practically turned into a reform junkyard'

The Ministry of National Education (MEB) has published a draft aimed at changing the curriculum for compulsory courses at all grade levels.

If the draft, which has been submitted for opinions and suggestions, is accepted, the education curriculum will have been changed for the 18th time during the AKP era.

According to a report by TELE1, Eğitim-İş Chairman Kadem Özbay made statements regarding the MEB's new curriculum draft.

"THE CURRICULUM IS THE CONSTITUTION OF EDUCATION"

Reacting to the AKP government due to the frequent changes to the curriculum, Özbay stated the following:

"The curriculum change process is being carried out in a manner befitting a minister of a government that has become accustomed to ruling the country by decree (KHK). Curriculums are as important as the country's constitutions. The curriculum is the constitution of education. You cannot say, 'Someone became a minister, this became the political power. We will prepare it behind closed doors, and this is it now.' When discussing the curriculum, you must provide a Z-report of the past; what are the shortcomings, do they stem from the curriculum... You must identify the source of the problem.

"THERE IS NO CONTACT WITH US"

Teachers will implement this, and teachers are trained in universities. This means that if you are planning a curriculum change, you must include universities in the process. You must include education stakeholders in the process. There is no contact with us.

"WE HAVE A MINISTER WHO CALLS SECTS AND CONGREGATIONS NGOs"

We have a minister who calls sects and congregations NGOs. You will both call sects NGOs, be a minister, and talk about the Republic and Atatürk... Therefore, only a minister would call the institutions they meet with and take along with them NGOs. Institutions that would provide scientific and contemporary interpretations in this field were not included. No exchange of ideas took place.

"IT HAS TURNED INTO A REFORM JUNKYARD"

The system has been changed dozens of times. All of these changes were made during the AKP era, and there is no one being held accountable. It has practically turned into a reform junkyard. This is not something to be done behind closed doors. Does the minister have a report on the shortcomings regarding the past? Why was it needed? If radical changes were made 3 times during the AKP era, why was a new one needed after these radical changes? Who are the members of the working team and on what basis were they selected? Is there a pilot implementation? With curriculum changes, you are changing the framework of education. You cannot say 'we changed it, let's implement it in all classes' regarding these. If there is to be a change, it should start with a pilot implementation in the 1st grade. These changes are the greatest evil done to future generations."

News Source: 12punto