Contact details 

Submitted by: Ece Akçay – Deputy Project Director, PIKTES Project, Ministry of National Education

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://piktes.gov.tr/

Social: @piktes2projesi

Introduction to the project 

Country

Turkey

Duration

Phase I : October 2016 – July 2019 (32 months)

Phase II : December 2018 – December 2021 (36 months)

Description

PIKTES (Project on Promoting Integration of Syrian Kids into the Turkish Education System) is a European Union funded project implemented by the Turkish Ministry of National Education (MoNE). In addition to the specific objective of supporting MoNE in its efforts to increase integration of Syrian children and access to quality education, the project has an overall objective of increasing the enrolment and attendance rates of Syrian children and youth in quality formal education.

PIKTES stands out as a good practice of comprehensive education for Syrian students. The project met basic education needs of Syrian students from primary to the high school level in the first implementation period. The scope of the project was extended to cover early childhood education and social cohesion in order to provide all encompassing opportunities in the light of MoNE’s vision for providing inclusive and comprehensive education opportunities for Syrian children.

As of September 2019, Turkey hosts 3,663,863 Syrians, 1,082,172 of whom are school age children granted temporary protection. There are 684,253 Syrian children who have been schooled within the scope of the project. The aim is to reach an additional 400,000 children by the end of the project.

Under the scope of PIKTES, MoNE has established Language Preparatory Classes (LPCs). Syrian students take a Turkish Language Proficiency Exam in order to be placed in the appropriate LPCs according to their results. Language Preparatory Classes are an important part of the good practice. They strengthen social cohesion and increase academic standing.

Main activities of the Good Practice

• Turkish language courses for Syrian children
• Arabic language courses for Syrian children
• Early childhood education for Syrian and Turkish children
• Catch-up training for Syrian children out of school or at LPCs
• Back-up training for children in public schools
• School transportation for Syrian and socio-economically disadvantaged Turkish students
• Stationery for Syrian and socio-economically disadvantaged Turkish students
• Scholarships for Syrian and Turkish students attending Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions
• Development or revision of Turkish curriculum for Syrian children
• Revision, development and procurement of educational materials
• Developing and implementing an examination system to determine the Syrian students’ language proficiency and academic performance level
• School guidance and counselling for Syrian students
• Project-related research activities
• Coordination meetings with stakeholders
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Training of trainers and teachers
• Awareness-raising training for MoNE administrative staff
• Providing a secure and hygienic learning environment in schools
• Providing educational equipment to lessen the burden of additional students on schools
• Social cohesion activities for Syrian and Turkish students and parents
• Turkish language training for the parents of Syrian pre-school students
• Informing Syrian families about educational services and opportunities
• Awareness-raising activities to promote integration of Syrian children in the Turkish education system
• Organizing an international conference on migration and education to share experiences and good practices 

Partners 

European Union 

How challenges were overcome 

• Difficulties regarding future planning were faced as a result of continuously changing dates. This is due to a dynamic population movement. Periodical and effective communication has been established with the Directorate General of Migration Management.
• Syrian boys not attending school because they were required to work. Family visits and informative seminars were carried out in order for families to send their children to school.
• Syrian girls being forced into early marriages and the reluctance of families to send them to school, resulting in a lower schooling rate of female students. Family visits and awareness-raising meetings were organized.
• In order to overcome the difficulties of schooling children who have been out of school for a long time, information and awareness-raising activities about education opportunities were provided to families and the continuation of catch-up training was ensured.
• Turkish language teachers who worked in the project did not have sufficient knowledge and experience on teaching foreigners. In-service and orientation trainings in cooperation with universities were provided to PIKTES teachers on language training for foreigners.
• To carry out sufficiently effective monitoring activities, field visits were realized and a project monitoring web portal was established.
• Lack of awareness regarding Syrian children amongst MoNE administrative staff and teachers. Through administrative and teacher awareness-raising activities, their capacity to handle specific Syrian student issues was increased.
• During the first implementation period, it was observed that providing various support and assistance programs only to Syrian children brought about a certain level of tension in the host community. In order to ease the pressure and the tension on the host community, socio-economically disadvantaged Turkish children were also included in the scope of the project as of the second implementation period.

Results of the Good Practice 

• 639,330 Syrian students received Turkish language training to comprehend and speak Turkish.
• 15,675 Syrian students received Arabic training to comprehend and speak basic Arabic.
• 25,780 Syrian students received catch-up training to follow the curricula at the educational level corresponding to their age.
• 80,043 Syrian students received back-up training for each school year and are able to follow the curricula at the educational level corresponding to their age.
• 81,430 Syrian students received school transportation.
• 502,055 Syrian children received stationery.
• 500,000 Syrian children received clothing.
• 15,000 Syrian children received early childhood education
• 2,512 Syrian families took part in informative seminars and 25,880 families were visited with the local authorities and PIKTES guidance counsellors
• An international conference on “Migration and Education” was held.
• 2 public spot-films and 1 short film were prepared in the scope of awareness-raising activities.
• 3 different Turkish language training materials and 1 Arabic language training material were revised and a total number of 4,045,920 Turkish and 207,000 Arabic materials were distributed.
• An examination system was developed and implemented.
• 497 guidance counsellors were employed for schools and other relevant educational institutions for psychological assistance, guidance and counselling.
• 798 schools and TECs (Temporary Education Centres) were adequately equipped to face the challenge of additional students (57,560 equipment packs for 798 schools containing 12 product items such as laptops, printers, sports equipment and stationary).
• 9,818 regular teachers of MoNE received awareness-raising training to provide an adequate education to Syrian students in Turkey, 8,269 PIKTES teachers had an orientation training, 5,968 Turkish language teachers had TÖMER language courses and 479 PIKTES guidance counsellors attended Certificate Program on Psychosocial Intervention for Children Exposed to Migration and Trauma.
• 5,053 MoNE administrative staff received training and increased their capacity to handle Syrian student issues.
• An impact analysis was implemented.