Educational board upholds new curriculum

ANKARA

An Education Ministry board has approved a new curriculum after the major change sparked debate over its renewed content and scope.

Since unveiling the comprehensive curriculum change efforts at the end of last year, the ministry has refrained from delineating precise subjects slated for exclusion from educational programs.

Last month, the ministry unveiled the new program, announcing that it would receive suggestions and criticism to revise it accordingly.

Educators, writers and unions had been discussing the change for weeks, particularly the removal of certain mathematics and science topics from high school programs.

In the latest development in education reform on May 24, the ministry's board announced that they have approved the curriculum with some "general adjustments."

After the signature of Minister Yusuf Tekin, the revised version will once again be shared with the public.

Cihad Demirli, a senior official from the ministry, stated that they received 67,284 opinions and suggestions on the curriculum draft between the period of April 26 and May 10.

During this period, the draft was viewed 1.6 million times, with 58 percent of the opinions on the lesson contents coming from teachers, he said, adding NGOs, education platforms and other educational institutions contributed 28,419 suggestions to the new curriculum draft.

"Our board has carefully evaluated all the opinions and suggestions regarding the new curriculum draft. Accordingly, some general amendments have been made to the curriculum. The ‘Century of Türkiye’ Education Model curriculum was discussed in the board agenda from May 16 to 22. After being rediscussed, the new curriculum has passed the approval of the board," Demirli said.

The new curriculum will be gradually implemented starting from the next academic year.