A new comprehensive project initiated by the Education Ministry in 15 pilot cities aims to lower the dropout rate and raise girls' school attendance among girls, with focus paid to the role of parenting
The Education Ministry has initiated the second stage of a project that aims to ensure no girls are disenfranchised when it comes to education. Increasing the School Attendance Rate of Girls (KEP-2) project will be the continuation of the first stage of the project that was completed two years ago.
Education Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Mustafa Hilmi Çolakoğlu said KEP-2 would build up on the feedback received from the first stage, adding that their aim was to decrease the dropout rate and increase school attendance rate among girls, which he said is a huge problem in the EU as well.
KEP-2 was backed by the 2014-2020 Human Resources Development Program, which was financed by both Turkey and the EU, he said.
"We will investigate the low attendance rate and high dropout rate among girls. We aim to address these problems through minor measures. In developed countries, the main causes behind these problems are family breakups, the use of drugs and wealth having a detrimental effect on the entrepreneurial spirit. Turkey's cultural structure prioritizes the importance of education but especially in secondary schools, we need to address the high dropout rate and low attendance," he said.
Çolakoğlu said the project would consist of conditional education support, vocational education, accommodation, free cooks and Internet access and free support classes.
Murat Çağatay, the communication manager charge of the project, said there will be 15 pilot cities – which are Diyarbakır, Batman, Erzurum, Hakkari, Siirt, Şanlıurfa, Ağrı, Bingöl, Mardin, Van, Muş, Kars, Iğdır, Bitlis and Şırnak – where the problem was especially acute.
Special committees will be set up in pilot cities to allow close supervision of girls who are inclined to discontinue their studies, he said. In cooperation with school management and local authorities, data will be collected on the girls and awareness campaigns targeting parents, including special visits, psychological counseling, vocational training and other programs, will be initiated with the help of volunteers.
Çağatay said authorities and volunteers will visit the households of girls who drop out of school and surveys will be conducted.
All programs will focus on local customs and traditions, he said, adding that teachers will also be trained to ensure girls continue their schooling. He also said celebrities and other prominent figures will be used to further underline the importance of girls going to school.
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