Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer stated that they restructured agricultural high schools and implemented original projects in order to contribute to the training of qualified human resources in the field of agriculture and to make Turkey an agricultural base, adding that the number of schools providing education in the field of agriculture increased from 2020 to 100, with an increase of 72 percent compared to 144. He said he had reached .
In his statement on the subject, Minister of National Education Özer said, “The problems experienced in the food supply chain on a global scale have brought the field of agriculture and animal husbandry to the forefront as a much more important sector. We, as the Ministry, have implemented unique projects in order to restructure agricultural high schools, to train qualified human resources in the field of agriculture and to contribute to making our country an agricultural base. In this context, while the number of our schools providing education in the field of agriculture was 2020 in 72, we increased this number to 2023 in 144. There was an increase of 100 percent. In addition, we continue to work on the opening of 3 new schools.” He made his assessment.
Expressing that there is great interest in the agricultural high schools, which they increased in order to use Turkey's agricultural production and animal husbandry potential more effectively and efficiently, Özer said, "While 2020 students were placed in the 2021th grade in the 9-633 academic year, those who preferred these schools in the 2022-2023 academic year. The number of students had reached 2 thousand 614. Again, in the 2015-2016 academic year, a total of 3 thousand 630 students received education in various branches of agriculture; With the new agricultural fields and thematic agriculture vocational and technical Anatolian high schools opened within the vocational and technical Anatolian high schools, this number increased to 2022 in the 2023-10 academic year.” said.
Six new thematic agriculture high schools opened, two more to be opened
Özer stated that 2023 thematic agriculture vocational and technical Anatolian High Schools were opened in 2024 provinces to accept students as of the 5-5 academic year and said, “Gaziosmanpaşa University Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Tokat, Agricultural Technologies Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Adıyaman, Artvin. Ardanuç Tarım Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School and Yusufeli Agricultural Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, Yeşil Fatsa Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Ordu, and six thematic agricultural high schools with the theme of olive cultivation in Bursa's Gemlik district were opened.
Within the scope of Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, which was opened in cooperation with the university and the Ministry, our students will be provided with English preparatory education in the field of agriculture, and they will be provided with R&D activities in the laboratories on the university campus.
With our new schools that will start education in the 2023-2024 academic year, the number of students studying in the field of agriculture will increase even more.” made its assessment.
In addition to these, Özer noted that the opening works of 2 new schools, namely Agricultural Technologies Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Denizli's Baklan district, Göle Agricultural Technologies Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Ardahan's Göle district, are continuing.
Minister Özer reminded that he made a visit to the Netherlands in October to examine Wageningen University, which is considered the best university in the world in the field of agriculture, and the 'World Horti Center', where innovative agricultural practices are carried out and where the sector and educational institutions are located, on site. 'Agricultural Education Campus' in Antalya in order to implement the Dutch model agriculture and animal husbandry studies in Turkey, to increase the quality of vocational education in the fields of agriculture and animal husbandry and health, and to strengthen the relations between the labor market and vocational education; He noted that the work on the opening of the new school with the theme is continuing.
Minister Özer stated that in order to implement the Dutch Model in Turkey, some of the agricultural teachers were sent to the Netherlands within the scope of the Erasmus Accreditation on-the-job observation project for the development of special field competencies.
Emphasizing that there are arable lands ranging from 30 decares to 800 decares in schools with existing agricultural areas, Özer said, “Our schools, which have a total of 4 million square meters of land, are still planting grain products such as rye, paddy, potatoes, wheat, barley, as well as gardens and ornamentals. Many activities such as plants, greenhouse cultivation, fruit growing, animal breeding, soil analysis, seed studies are carried out.” used his statements.
Stating that wheat was planted on 575 decares of land last year in order to meet the flour needs of vocational education institutions due to the grain and wheat crisis that has recently developed in the world, Özer noted that this year, wheat was planted on 2 thousand 580 decares of land.
Production income of agricultural high schools exceeded 3 million
Referring to the production capacity of schools with agricultural areas, Özer said, “While our 2017 production income was 1 million 329 thousand liras, this amount increased to 2022 million 7 thousand liras by the end of 926. In the field of animal husbandry in our schools, while cattle and small cattle breeding were almost non-existent in the past, today, especially 200 cattle, 250 sheep and 6 thousand poultry are raised. We continue to work on increasing this number day by day. In addition, practices such as silkworm breeding and beekeeping, which stand out in different geographies of our country, continue in our agricultural schools, which have animal breeding areas. said.
Paradigm change in the field of R&D and industrial property
Noting that another paradigm shift in vocational and technical education has been experienced in the field of R&D and industrial property, Özer said: “Raising qualified generations who have adopted the R&D culture is among the most important goals of our Ministry.”
Özer reminded that 27 R&D centers were established within the schools of vocational and technical education in 58 provinces in order for teachers and students to design new products in the qualified R&D and innovation fields that our country needs, and to transform these products into an economic value by obtaining their intellectual property rights. The working area for the R&D center has been determined. In R&D centers, 12 projects were developed in 341 areas, 109 products were produced, and the production process of 232 products continues. 5 of these centers are our schools providing education for the agricultural sector. In addition, our schools, which have agricultural areas, sign cooperation protocols with non-governmental organizations and the relevant sector in their regions. With this cooperation, our students are offered scholarship, education and internship opportunities.” made its assessment.