The first vocational high school in the field of space and aviation technology in Türkiye has opened in the capital Ankara, National Education Minister Mahmut Özer stated Sunday.
In his written statement, the minister highlighted the growing momentum of Türkiye's aviation and space activities and its enhanced competitiveness with other countries, congratulating the Ankara Aerospace Technologies Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School on its opening.
Stating that the work on projects, including Göktürk satellite observers, the first indigenous high-resolution satellite IMECE, Gökbey helicopter, Anka unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), SIHA, Hürkuş, Hürjet, Kızılelma and Aksungur UAV present a significant step for the country in the field of the space and aviation, Özer underlined that another important step taken in this direction is the establishment of the dynamic vocational and technical education system created by his ministry.
Adding that the school was opened in cooperation with the Presidency of Defense Industries and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), the minister explained that within the scope of a study focusing on spreading the scope of education in the field of aviation, the program's objective on the enrichment of educational content in this field was accepted by the education board.
Özer also explained that the curriculum for the aviation and space high school was prepared with the commission consisting of representatives of the Presidency of Defense Industry, Turkish Aeronautical Association University, Aselsan, Roketsan, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and its engine-producing subsidiary TEI, TUSAŞ and the teachers in the field.
"We have opened the school within the prepared educational framework in Ankara's Elmadağ district. (Our) school encompassing an area of 24,770 square meters ( 266,622 square feet) consisting of three main buildings, namely the training building, the workshop building and the hostel building. The school has 32 classrooms, six laboratories, two painting and music workshops, and a conference hall," the minister noted.
He also said that the school is equipped with all the necessary workshops and laboratory facilities, and offers a 200-bed capacity for future students. The first of its kind in Türkiye, the school is set to offer a five-year program, including one year of preparatory English class, and is expected to start accepting student admissions in the 2023-2024 academic year.
Underlining the goal of increasing the qualified human resources in the field of defense, the minister highlighted the aviation and space sector as the ministry's new target in vocational education and invited all the students and parents pursuing a similar aviation dream to pay a visit to the newly opened school in Ankara.
