Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin underlined Türkiye’s strong commitment to vocational and technical education, highlighting that nearly 40% of secondary education students are enrolled in these programs.
Speaking at the "Türkiye Century Vocational and Technical Education Summit" in Istanbul on Monday, Tekin emphasized the country’s historical foundation in vocational training, rooted in the "Ahi" tradition, which combines technical skill with work ethic, social responsibility and discipline.
He pointed out that vocational and technical education in Türkiye is founded on the value system of the Ahi tradition, institutionalized by "Ahi Evran," which integrates technical skills with work discipline, integrity, social responsibility and a strong work ethic. This heritage provides an important cultural and economic framework for the development of vocational education in Türkiye.
The summit, organized by the Ministry’s Directorate General of Vocational and Technical Education, aims to modernize vocational curricula and align them with evolving labor market demands under the Türkiye Century vision. Over three days, stakeholders will deliberate on emerging professions, sector needs, digital and green transformation, ethics integration and employment enhancement strategies.
Tekin stressed the urgency of adapting education systems to rapid technological shifts, such as artificial intelligence and digital manufacturing. He introduced the "Vocational 5.0" model, a holistic framework that integrates industrial transformation, automation, AI-driven decision-making and human-centered skill development to prepare students for future workforce demands.
Analyzing workforce trends, the minister identified key skill areas sought by industry: digital literacy, data analytics, programming, robotics, energy efficiency and sustainable production. He also noted Türkiye’s commitment to embedding environmentally conscious technologies into vocational education, aligning with green transformation goals such as carbon footprint reduction and waste management.
Tekin shared comprehensive data underscoring the scope and scale of vocational and technical education in Türkiye. Under the Directorate General’s supervision, vocational and technical Anatolian high schools, multiprogram high schools and vocational education centers operate nationwide.
Complementing these, nearly 1,500 adult vocational courses run through the Lifelong Learning General Directorate. These institutions issue diplomas, workplace operation permits, journeyman and mastership certificates within the frameworks of the Anatolian Technical Program, Anatolian Vocational Program, and Vocational Education Centers.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, a total of 3,954 schools serve over 1.5 million students, with an additional 420,000 students enrolled across 408 vocational education centers. Collectively, vocational and technical education accounts for roughly 40% of all students in compulsory secondary education.
Tekin also reflected on the significant setback vocational education faced during the Feb. 28 period, when enrollment rates plummeted to approximately 17% due to restrictive policies. However, following the lifting of these restrictions after 2002 and the adoption of targeted strengthening initiatives, enrollment rates have shown consistent growth.
Looking ahead to the 2025-2026 academic year, about 43% of new high school registrants have opted for vocational and technical schools. Importantly, some students who ranked within the top 5% on the High School Entrance Exam (LGS) are among those choosing this educational path, highlighting its growing prestige.
Since 2014, the ministry has driven transformative reforms across vocational education. These include hiring instructors with direct industry experience, collaboratively developing curricula aligned with sector needs, ensuring student insurance coverage against occupational hazards and providing stipends linked to minimum wage standards.
To foster early vocational skills development, the ministry has introduced “craft workshops” targeting seventh and eighth-grade students. This initiative is successfully running in 272 schools across 19 provinces.
