The Philosophers Association announced their criticism and suggestions with a report regarding the Secondary Education Design Program announced by the Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk in May 2019.
Secondary Education Design Program, which was announced by Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk at the Secondary Education Design Presentation Meeting on May 18, was reviewed and evaluated by the Philosophers Association and a report was drafted to be presented to the Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk. Çukurova University Professor, Dr. Adnan Gümüş shared the report on behalf of the Philosophers Association, stating they have been working on a new secondary education design for two months with a very serious effort.
PRINCIPLES AND JUSTIFICATIONS OF THE CORE COURSE PROGRAM PROPOSAL FOR ALL HIGH SCHOOL TYPES
It’s been stated in the report, “the field-based approach in the new draft is; basic law of the Ministry of National Education and approach of the basic skills are also compatible with the model based on the basic areas approach. Four principles are critical in the new draft”
- Gaining general and basic skills: instead of a career-oriented approach, the ‘basic’ and ‘skill’ oriented approach, which is the basic approach of the Ministry of National Education, will be more appropriate.
- Defining the main areas and determining their relevant weight,
- Ensuring partnership and continuity among all students and schools,
- In order to reduce the number of courses, considering the annual based periodical course application rather than annual courses.
“The first three principles can meet the ‘common compulsory core program’ approach for all high school types. The fourth principle is related to calendaring” says the report, and reasons were organized as following: The reason for the general and basic skills-oriented approach rather than career: Career focus is mainly based on technology and occupation. Thus, it overlooks both the acquisition of general and basic skills, the continuity and partnership among all citizens and humanity, and creating the risk of forcing students into professional choice without acquiring a “general understanding”. The supra-disciplinary courses such as Business, Finance, Management Sciences, Entrepreneurship at the age of 15-18 (without acquiring the basic and general skills) selection and acquiring will not yield healthy and appropriate results. In addition, professions and careers vary according to societies and ages, and in today's world people can do several different jobs in their 30-40 years of working life. Their future occupations do not overlap with the high school age. Career-oriented approach; The Ministry of National Education does not overlap with its “basic” and “skill” oriented approach. Instead, a more comprehensive approach, which considers career, to “gaining basic fields and basic skills, would be appropriate. The reason for determination of area weights: Determining field weights in a healthy way by taking into consideration science, pedagogy and needs of the country, will end various discussions, misunderstandings, field conflicts and confusions in micro, all 4 fields will be able to find their place in the system, thus this approach will form a permanent and long-term strategic base for secondary education. In this way, teachers and the education community will be able to focus on a more radical adaptation and search for solutions, make more permanent and specific plans and develop solutions for their field without sticking into the area's concern. The reason of the core program proposal: In secondary education, there is 160 hours of courses for four years. 116 hours of this period will be allocated to ‘compulsory field’ courses (core courses) and the other 44 hours will be allocated to each high school or vocational high school for their specific programs, which will enable both partnership and continuity between schools and specificization; it will provide the basis for overcoming many complexities and problems in the current system. The reason for the proposed course for a year based periodical courses rather than an annual basis: At secondary level (high schools), the year based periodical course schedule and program will be more appropriate, rather than yearly. Because; periodical course application instead of spreading a course to two periods to keep the course hours high, so that the number of courses will be reduced and students will be able to concentrate more on the course.
