Thousands of women forced to drop out of school early in their lives have a second chance for resuming their education thanks to a project spearheaded by first lady Emine Erdoğan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
The “Where Did We Leave Off” project launched last year helped 21,176 women who dropped out after graduating from middle school to go back to high school. In the new school year, women can sign up for admission to schools until Oct. 14.
Speaking about the project at a press conference on Thursday in the capital Ankara, Ayşe Keşir, head of the AK Party’s Women’s Branch, said it was an opportunity for all female dropouts and said women had a great interest in the project so far. “It focuses on women seeking high school education but women who had to drop out of middle school can apply as well,” she said. Keşir stated that women can apply online or by visiting the nearest local Directorate of National Education.
She said education was the most important instrument for equal opportunities and the rate of girls in university programs rose to nearly 50% from 13.5% when the AK Party won its first electoral victory back in 2002. “Women do their best once they are given equal opportunities. Moreover, it contributes to positive changes in decision-making mechanisms and employment. Women are an inseparable part of development,” she said.
In a social media post, Erdoğan invited women to join the program. “We took the first step last year with excitement for 'Where Did We Leave Off,' a new mobilization drive for education. I made a call to our women dreaming of having a diploma. I congratulate thousands of sisters who heeded the call and signed up. I call you again to join this initiative. You are not late to achieve your dreams. Just believe in yourself, in your resolve to resume your education,” she wrote.
The project allows women to sign up for high schools offering distance learning opportunities. The high schools allow participants to graduate at the end of eight semesters. Members of the AK Party’s women’s branches in 81 provinces offer guidance, consultation for women seeking to sign up for the project and help them access educational materials.
The first lady was also behind a literacy campaign for women she launched with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2018, reaching out to more than 1 million people. Literacy classes provide a chance for women of all ages to return to school and draw people from all walks of life. Public schools and lifelong learning centers still help women who want to attend literacy courses. In Türkiye, literacy among people aged 15 and over is 95.9%, according to 2019 figures. Although access to education has increased, girls in rural areas, where every family member works to earn a living for the family at an early age, are often forced by their parents to give up their education. Coupled with an ultraconservative patriarchal mindset, girls are often convinced or forced to drop out of school after completing mandatory primary education.
