The Century of Türkiye Education Model (Maarif Model), implemented by the Ministry of National Education (MEB), along with the Teaching Profession Law, the Vocational and Technical Education Policy Document, Türkiye's improved ranking in TIMSS 2023 and projects aimed at enhancing school-family cooperation, were among the key topics in the education agenda for 2024.

The MEB, guided by the understanding that the educational system should be a part of not only contemporary global references but also the country’s own past, culture, values and history, launched significant projects in the past year.

The Maarif Model, a product of a 10-year preparation process and extensive needs analysis, started to be gradually implemented from Sept. 9, 2024, the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year, beginning with preschool, first, fifth and ninth grades.

The new curriculum, which aims to equip students not only with knowledge but also with skills, includes innovations such as systems thinking, social-emotional learning skills, and a framework of virtues, values and actions, aiming to develop students' analytical abilities, empathy and sense of responsibility. Additionally, the curriculum's intensity was reduced by 35%, allowing for more meaningful and deeper learning processes.

The main goal of the Century of Türkiye Education Model is to transverse actions to values, then value comprehension to create virtuous individuals, and then to inspire virtuous individuals toward the ultimate goal of a "peaceful family and society" and "peaceful people in a livable environment." It was approved by the Ministry of National Education after the approval process by the Board of Education and Discipline.

As part of the preparation of new programs, "Türkiye Century Education Model Instructor Training Courses" were initiated for teachers by the academics and field experts involved in the process.

In the new academic year, the MEB also introduced elective courses for the first time on topics such as family, manners and etiquette in Turkish social life.

The Teaching Profession Law, which includes the establishment of the National Education Academy, has been published in the Official Gazette. It regulates teachers' duties, rights, career progression, selection, training and appointments, as well as the academy’s structure and staff. The law also increases penalties for violence against educators by 50% and ensures suspects are detained before trial. Teachers with 20 years of service are eligible for senior teacher positions. The law's key provision is the creation of the National Education Academy.

National Education Academy

The academy will design educational programs for teacher candidates, develop professional development programs for teachers and staff, and evaluate them. It will also set and update qualifications for teachers and staff. The academy will train teachers in essential skills, values and digital competencies. Teacher candidates who complete the training will be employed as contracted educators. Admission to the academy’s program will be based on the "Ministry of National Education Academy Entrance Exam (MEB-AGS)" starting July 13, 2025. Additionally, the new regulation allows over 300,000 teachers to obtain specialist or senior teacher titles in 2025 without an exam.

The ministry has introduced a new system where first-grade teachers and fifth-grade sections are automatically assigned through the e-School system.

The ministry also published the Vocational and Technical Education Policy Document, approved by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This document focuses on three key areas: increasing access to vocational education through sectoral collaborations, preparing students for life and work, and contributing to Türkiye’s development. It includes 74 strategies to achieve these goals.

As part of the document, the ministry introduced four school programs: "regional," "specialized," "sector-specific" and "sector-integrated." Some 494 vocational schools, previously offering fields like maritime, agriculture and tourism, have been reorganized into specialized schools. Türkiye's first "sector-specific" school in jewelry and the first "sector-integrated" school in automotive have been launched.

Vocational middle schools in Bursa, Sivas, Konya and Burdur aim to identify and develop students' skills earlier. Additionally, 15 sectoral excellence centers were established in six provinces to enhance vocational education quality.

As part of the "Skill Development Program," the ministry plans to open craft workshops in all 81 provinces, following a successful pilot in 270 schools across 18 provinces.

Türkiye has also launched its first sports middle schools within nine sports high schools across nine provinces to identify and nurture young sports talent. These schools, accepting fifth-grade students, are located in Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Istanbul, Izmir, Konya and Trabzon.

First music schools

Additionally, Türkiye's first official music elementary school has opened at the Ankara Music and Fine Arts University campus, focusing on fine arts education, particularly music, to enhance Türkiye's qualified human resources in Turkish music.

In the education sector, the 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) results highlighted Türkiye's success, with significant improvements in science and mathematics rankings. Türkiye ranked among the top in eighth-grade science, scoring 530 points, surpassing the international average and rising to fifth place among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. In fourth-grade mathematics, Türkiye improved its score by 30 points to 553, ranking fourth globally and second in Europe. Türkiye also rose to 10th place in eighth-grade mathematics, surpassing countries like Hungary and Finland. In parallel, the Ministry of National Education emphasized the importance of school-family cooperation, introducing several initiatives to strengthen this relationship, such as "Velivizyon" and "Maarif Model Parent Schools."

In the 2024-2025 academic year, the "Life Skills" project was introduced in elementary and middle schools to foster students' mental, social, emotional, physical and moral development. The project aims to help students become individuals capable of active participation in society, problem-solving and overcoming daily challenges. The academic year began with the lesson "Spirit of Independence and Patriotism from Gallipoli to Gaza," which emphasized the heroism and sacrifice of the Turkish and Palestinian people during the Gallipoli campaign and their shared dedication to freedom and patriotism in Gaza.

Students also kicked off Republic Week by watching the film "Our Lesson: Towards the Republic," a cinematic montage of the play "Towards the Republic," which depicts the founding of the republic.

A new regulation, published on Dec. 6, introduced school uniforms for primary, middle and high school students. School principals, with input from the school-family union and teachers, will determine the uniform design, which must avoid restrictive details. The approved uniform design will be posted on the school's website and cannot be changed for four years. Students will also not be required to purchase special clothing for events that could financially burden parents.

The ministry launched the "Green Flag" program to improve energy efficiency and develop eco-friendly schools. The initiative aims to reduce energy consumption and certify schools with a green flag for their efforts.

New report cards were distributed to middle school students at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year. These report cards include academic grades and evaluations of students' participation in social activities, including scientific, cultural, artistic, sporting activities and community service.

To ensure an enjoyable break for students, the ministry organized a "year-end activity week" during the final week of the 2023-2024 academic year, featuring cultural, artistic, scientific and sports activities and skill-based applications from the new curriculum.

Starting from July 1, the ministry launched free summer schools for all students from second grade onward, offering courses in sports, visual arts, music and informatics. Additionally, academic support and remedial courses were provided for middle school eighth graders, high school 11th and 12th graders, and graduates at public educational centers.