The Ministry of National Education in Turkey conducted a Grade 12 validation examination for Syrian refugee students on June 27th. This examination allows Syrian refugees to receive official documentation of their academic achievements to help with university admission and scholarship applications. Approximately 8,000 Syrian refugee students registered for and took the exam across 14 provinces hosting large numbers of refugees. UN agencies provided financial and logistical support to help students access the exam centers.

1. TURKEY MONTHLY UPDATE - JUNE EDUCATION
JUNE HIGHLIGHTS:
One of the 3RP outputs in the education sector is to support the provision of valid
certification and documentation of academic achievement to Syrian refugee children.
On 27 June the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) conducted a Grade 12 validation
examination for Syrian students who had completed Grade 12 through Temporary
Education Centres (TECs).
This initiative, led by the Ministry of National Education, is a significant milestone in
ensuring that Syrian refugee children receive official documentation of their learning
achievements. The results of the validation examination may be used by Syrian refugee
youth when applying for admission to Turkish universities and when applying for
scholarships, particularly those administered by the Presidency for Turks Abroad (YTB)
and UNHCR. MoNE has reported that approximately 8,000 students registered for and
sat for the examination. The examinations were written in 14 centres in provinces
hosting large numbers of refugees, including Istanbul, Kayseri and 12 provinces across
South East Turkey.
UN Agencies provided financial and direct assistance to the Ministry in support of this
examination, including supporting the dissemination of information about the
examination registration procedures. UNHCR, with IOM, provided transportation for
2281 students residing in camps to enable them to reach the examination centres in
urban areas.
MoNE and UNICEF have worked together to keep many schools serving Syrian children
open for summer school. Recreation kits will be delivered to 215 of these schools in
order to provide children and adolescents with semi-structured recreational activities.
IOM is continuing to provide transportation for 450 children living in two districts in
Sanliurfa (Ayup and Sirrin districts) to participate in additional classes and recreational
activities. A further 714 students attending TECs operates by the Syrian Social Gathering
in Mersin continue to receive transportation assistance. The TEC operates three shifts
in order to accommodate the number of children seeking access to education.
Nearly 5,000 Syrian volunteer teachers have been reached with incentive payments.
This support to teachers improves the quality of learning for approximately 180,000
Syrian refugee children.
Key Figures:
210,648
3,445
2,853
4,997
16,379
6,500
45
4,637
225,072
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Number of school aged children enrolled in school
Number of children receiving subsidized school transportation
Number of targeted children (5-17) b/g enrolled in non-formal or informal education
and/or life skills activities
Number of youth and adults participating in language training programmes
Number of youth and adults participating in vocational and skills training
programmes and receiving higher education support
Number of education personnel trained
Number of educational facilities constructed, refurbished or renovated
Number of Syrian volunteer teachers provided with financial incentives
Number of children (3-17) benefiting from school supplies
Progress
Planned Response, by end-2015
TURKEY RESPONSE INDICATORS: JANUARY TO JUNE 2015
Syrian children using learning materials provided by UNHCR. UNHCR /N.Bose
2,500,000 registered Syrian
refugees
Direct benificiaries
Status:
NEEDS ANALYSIS:
- The national legislative framework supports the right of refugees to free access to schooling
and the Government of Turkey has facilitated refugees’ access to skills training and higher
education. In spite of these efforts, an estimated 70 per cent of school-aged refugee children
are not accessing education.
- Increased provision of educational places (through the establishment of additional
temporary education centres and greater participation in national schools) remains a priority
and will take place within the regulatory framework established by the Ministry of National
Education.
- The education strategy includes ongoing efforts to increase the quality of education. Through
a partnership between Government agencies and international organizations, a system for
payment of incentives to volunteer refugee teachers will be established and implemented in
2015.
-All activities in the sector will be implemented in close collaboration with the Government of
Turkey.
The provision of services to large numbers of refugee children and youth requires the rapid
expansion of the education sector which will be supported by the efforts of the international
community through policy support, technical assistance in information management to
capture, analyse and report on refugee needs and participation; refurbishment of
infrastructure – in national schools used to host second shifts or where rapid expansion has
taken place - and assistance to strengthen coordination of the refugee response. Existing
efforts to accommodate refugee children in the national system will be scaled up through the
provision of teaching materials and capacity to teach Turkish as a foreign language to refugees
and supporting programmes to reduce bullying and foster social cohesion.
1,772,535
71%
226,782
60%
Ministry of National Education conducts Grade 12
validation examination