Mapping VET Education Policies and Practices for Social

Mapping VET Education Policies and Practices for Social Inclusion and Social Cohesion: the role of VET in promoting employment, equity, social cohesion and active citizenship in Western Balkans, Turkey (WBT) and Israel VET Education Policies and Practices for Social Inclusion and Social Cohesion in Turkey Conference and workshop, Vienna, 3 -5 December 2012 Başak Yavçan, Ph. D Assistant Professor of Political Science at TOBB University of Economics and Technology

Mapping VET Education Policies and Practices for Social Inclusion and Social Cohesion: the role of VET in promoting employment, equity, social cohesion and active citizenship in Western Balkans, Turkey (WBT) and Israel 1. TURKEY: Key policy issues in the current policy debates • Problem of Low Status • Lack of Variety in Highly paid Employment Options • Difficulty of Transferring to Higher Education • Complications Related to Imam Hatip(Preacher) Schools • Delayed Guidance

Mapping VET Education Policies and Practices for Social Inclusion and Social Cohesion: the role of VET in promoting employment, equity, social cohesion and active citizenship in Western Balkans, Turkey (WBT) and Israel 2. TURKEY: Key points arising from national level interviews and advisory boards • Problem of Low Social Status/Class - Family’s prejudices against vocational training should be tackled - Vocational training should be introduced as a respectable career option - Guidance prior to school selection should not be biased. • Problem Solving Ability - Technological equipment is becoming sufficient but students’ ability of problem solving should be improved. - Hands on training should be encouraged • Problem of Quota Overload - Due to admissions above the quotas suggested by vocational schools, double education is resorted to. - Dual education system Problem of applied training and sufficient interaction

Mapping VET Education Policies and Practices for Social Inclusion and Social Cohesion: the role of VET in promoting employment, equity, social cohesion and active citizenship in Western Balkans, Turkey (WBT) and Israel 2. TURKEY: Key points arising from National Interviews and advisory boards • A poor relation btw. education and employment i. e. skills mismatch - Lack of resources and technologically advanced equipment - Lack of flexibility to adopt to the changing national comparative advantages as a result of globalization -Low interest/popularity in areas with high industry demand high in areas where there is high popularity resulting in excessive labor supply upon graduation • Social Exclusion -Low income status of the students in general - A group of uninterested students who would rather be at a different school - An unhealthy environment for their concentration in their work in an environment with higher ratio of acts requiring disciplinary action

Mapping VET Education Policies and Practices for Social Inclusion and Social Cohesion: the role of VET in promoting employment, equity, social cohesion and active citizenship in Western Balkans, Turkey (WBT) and Israel 2. TURKEY: Key points arising from National Interviews and advisory boards • Lack of a guidance system based on vocational inclinations -Existing surveys test career interests and professional skills however there are no batteries of surveys testing the abilities/skills related to vocational training • Lack of middle school education offerings for vocational schools -With the new 4+4+4 system, vocational school education starts after the completion of the 8 th grade. - Before skills of arts and crafts could be excelled at an early age

Issues that should be on the agenda according to the interviews are: • Admission process in high schools • The Number of Vocational Schools should be increased to overcome quota overloads • The prestige of Vocational Schools should be improved • Vocational School Teachers should be supported in terms of awards and punishments • When a policy needs change, gradual transition or implementation of the pilot area should be preferred • Families and their approach to vocational should be changed

Actors to be interviewed • Private Vocational Schools • Ministry of National Education Branches in various provinces • Alumni Organizations • Chambers of Commerces

Mapping VET Education Policies and Practices for Social Inclusion and Social Cohesion: the role of VET in promoting employment, equity, social cohesion and active citizenship in Western Balkans, Turkey (WBT) and Israel 4. TURKEY: Problems facing the project and actions to resolve them • bakanlikta gundemde ne gibi maddeler var Reform onemli bir konu Umem gibi projeler Mesleki egitim 3 yonlu ilerlemesi dusunuluyor akademik meslek egitim ciraklik egitimi Tek bir cati altina girmesi iyi oldu mu evet oldu. Daginik yapi birlestirilmis oldu Bu yonde siyaset gelistirilmesini destekleyecek bir durum Imam hatip liseleri they don’t educate preachers anymore. Their graduates cannot become preachers upon graduation. It is a school of thought.