The launching event of the pilot implementation starting in 110 schools through 10 pilot provinces of the EU/CoE Joint Project “Strengthening Democratic Culture in Basic Education” took place today in Ankara. Starting in October, the implementation will serve to test the education materials and the Whole School Model developed with the support of the project and aiming at consolidating a democratic school culture in and outside classrooms.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Ms Prof Dr Petek AŞKAR, gave an opening speech today at the conference highlighting the importance of the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC), on which project materials are based, so that students of all ages internalize values, attitudes, skills and knowledge - including respecting others, responsibility and self-efficacy - and as a further step to strengthen democracy.

Further speeches were given by Christian URSE, Head of the CoE office in Ankara, Sarah KEATING, Head of the Co-operation and Capacity Building division of the Education Department, Yaşar KOÇAK, Director General of Basic Education, Ministry of National Education (MoNE), and Barbaros Murat KÖSE, Acting Director of the Central Finance and Contract Unit (CFCU).

Gülderen ÖZDEMİR, Head of R&D and Projects Department of the MoNE, shared the expectations from the pilot implementation with the provincial directors of the 10 pilot provinces, connected online in this hybrid event, who also had the opportunity to ask questions about the RFCDC, the Whole School Model, and the other education materials.