The Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMV), which ranks among the top five in the world in terms of the international school network, will start implementing its new AI curriculum in pilot schools in the 2024-2025 academic year.

TMV President Birol Akgün told Anadolu Agency (AA) correspondents about the foundation's new initiatives, explaining that they aim to be an international education brand that provides permanent, sustainable and quality education that represents Türkiye abroad.

Stating that the foundation carries out its activities through two channels, Akgün emphasized that the foundation first transferred Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ)-affiliated schools to the TMV and opened its own schools in line with Türkiye's foreign policy and strategic goals.

"As a foundation, we have taken over 230 schools from FETÖ in 21 countries. With the educational achievements we have achieved in the schools we have opened, the schools of the TMV are now understood when the term "Turkish schools" is mentioned abroad. The Turkish flag hangs in these schools; they represent Türkiye, and the Maarif Foundation schools are used as official venues for all kinds of national holiday celebrations and representations, including our embassies. The Maarif Foundation Schools are one of the most successful moves of the state in the last 10 years in terms of education services abroad in the fight against FETÖ. Our schools offer a great opportunity for Türkiye, a global power, to develop all kinds of relations in the international arena," Akgün said.

He also highlighted its extensive educational presence, focusing on Türkiye's neighboring regions and beyond. It operates schools in the Balkans, Iraq, Georgia, Central Asia, the U.S., and 26 African countries, serving over 53,000 students globally through 447 schools, one university, and various educational centers and dormitories.

He emphasized the foundation's International Maarif Program (IM) and the goal to establish a unique international education curriculum within 10 years. A recent European Union Institute for Security Studies report titled "Turkey's Global Influence" detailed the TMV's international contributions, including modern education initiatives for 20,000 African students across 26 countries. Akgün expressed pride in their success story, noting international interest in collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

Pointing out that one of the most important distinguishing features of the TMV schools in the international arena is the teaching of Turkish, Akgün said: "We did a lot of work on teaching Turkish as a foreign language in formal education and established a special unit. We prepared a curriculum within the framework of the international language education standards of the Council of Europe; then, we started to produce books and course materials. We currently have around 152 educational materials and one of the most important aspects of Türkiye's 'educational diplomacy' is the dissemination of Turkish abroad and the Maarif Foundation is successfully carrying out this task."

Importance of AI

Stating that as an institution working in the international arena, they closely follow the developments in the field of artificial intelligence, Akgün said that during the pandemic period, they used online education methods by using all available technological resources and prevented the loss of education.

"After seeing the developments in the world, we created an artificial intelligence working group at the Maarif Foundation headquarters. We are creating an artificial intelligence course curriculum and course materials for high schools to be used in some of our pilot schools in the 2024-2025 academic year. We are also working closely with an expert team from the U.S. We are preparing the curriculum, textbooks and teacher handbooks in a collaborative effort and will start training the teachers for this course at the beginning of September," he added.

"Starting next year, we will be moving the artificial intelligence curriculum from high schools to the middle school level, and we want to spread digital competence and artificial intelligence education to all levels of education. For example, we need to teach how this can be transferred to technology in math lessons and the logic of algorithmic thinking in social studies lessons. The logic of artificial intelligence is very different from technological design and the digital world requires a unique mental preparation.

"In the field of artificial intelligence, we are also working closely with the Board of Education within the framework of the new curriculum studies of the Ministry of National Education. As Türkiye, we have to engage with the digital age. In the field of AI, humanity is going through a period at least as important as the Industrial Revolution," he stressed.

Akgün also emphasized the importance of integrating traditional education with AI, stating: "Traditional education methods foster critical thinking and philosophy, essential foundations. Yet, we must also prepare future generations for tomorrow's educational demands. Without teaching mathematical methods and coding, we risk being mere consumers of existing technology."

He stressed the need to cultivate new generations capable of designing technology, especially AI, to enhance national competitiveness. Akgün highlighted efforts by the Ministry of National Education and the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to establish AI departments, noting Türkiye's commitment to staying current in AI developments on the global stage.