The term education institution has been changed as "schools and institutions".

Definitions are included for "vocational and technical schools and institutions", "Personnel", "business", "training personnel", "vocational area", "vocational branch".

For apprentices at the age of 18 with a valid contract, provisions in section 5 "Occupational Health and Safety" of the Law of Labor no 1475 shall apply.
Apprenticeship training period is defined as 2-4 years.
The prerequisite of 1 year of working period is cancelled for those who have graduated from a vocational school and wish to take a proficiency exam.

A "Certificate to Open Workplace" shall be issued by the authorities, describing the responsibilities and proficiency for those who graduate from technical high schools and other 4-year vocational and technical education schools.

Revenues obtained through the Law no 4306 shall be used for both primary and secondary education expenditures.

The name of the Office of Apprenticeship, Vocational and Technical Education Development and Spreading Fund has been changed as "Office of Apprenticeship, Vocational and Technical Education Development and Spreading". Its duties have been redefined as well.

VISION IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

To raise individuals who can appreciate the cultural heritage, interpret real life and generate solutions for problems.

MISSION IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

To contribute to an understanding of religious education that teaches the students to respect humanity, opinions, freedom, ethics, and cultural heritage. *

*Selçuk, Prof. Dr. M. Din Öðretiminde Yeni Yaklaşımlar, Ankara, 2001

Based on respect for humanity, opinions, freedom, ethics and cultural heritage, religious education is built on the principles below;
- awareness of religious concepts
- social integration
- support and tolerance
- cultural sensitivity
- good morals, honesty,
- understanding and discovering oneself, thinking independently
- critical thinking
- objectivity
- selection abilities
- discovering the meaning of life
- inquiring into one's own beliefs
- logical approach

In order to establish unity in concepts and terminology in religious education, a Dictionary of Terms for Religious Education has been prepared for suitable for the level of the students.

14 schools in Turkey have been selected as regional pioneers in order to lead the implementation of the "Development Model for Religious Schools" and to spread it to other schools.

The program development aims to
- raise awareness of environment, natural balance and cleanliness,

- realising that modern universal values overlap with the essence of Islam,

-being aware of unsound religious developments in society,

- improving individual consciousness to reach sociability and social sensitivity,

- realising that the principle of "peace at home, peace in the world" is directed towards the welfare of all humanity,

The Ministry of National Education aims to establish a "culture of reconciliation and peace" rather than a "culture of conflict and tension" in religious education.

The Learning Schools Project ensures participation of teachers and students in the program development and Text book preparation efforts and aims to emphasize the principle of "student-centered education" and make the schools knowledge production centers and classrooms a democratic environment where knowledge is generated.

In the religious education program, the basic objective of the Ministry of National Education is to ensure that individuals grow up to inquire how knowledge is used, for whom and in what kind of world.

INNOVATIONS IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

Vocational Education Committee has been authorized to identify the vocations to be covered by law.
Those having formal education in businesses, vocational and technical education schools and institutions have been defined as "students".
Apprenticeship and Vocational Education Committee has been restructured as the Vocational Education Committee.
Provincial apprenticeship and the vocational education committee have been renamed as the vocational education committee. The vocational education committee has been authorized to take decisions in order to plan and evaluate the vocational education in vocational and technical education schools and businesses. This committee has become the highest decision making unit in vocational and technical education. The committee is chaired by the undersecretary.
Committee members have been reselected, with the participation of employer representatives.
The decisions taken by the committee shall be executed by the Ministry of National Education and the related organizations.
The representatives constituting the Provincial Vocational Education Committee are;

" The major or his/her representative,
" Provincial Director of Health or his/her representative
" Chairman of the provincial chamber of industry and commerce or his/her representative, where chambers of industry and commerce are not established individually,
" Head of the provincial treasury or his/her assistant,
" Director of the Social Insurance Institution or his/her representative,
" Representative of the employers' union appointed for a certain province by the confederation with the highest number of employers.
Adolescents who have completed the age of 18 have been given the opportunity to continue their apprenticeship training according to their ages and training levels.

The upper limit of the theoretical training for the apprentice candidates and apprentices has been given flexibility.

Apprentice candidates and apprentices have been given the opportunity to take theoretical and practical vocational courses in vocational and technical education schools and institutions.
The theoretical and practical training that is season-related has been implemented in block form in certain months.
For those who start apprenticeship training after general education at high school or higher education level, the training period may be shortened up to half of the apprenticeship-training period in their vocations. Experienced apprentices, masters or general secondary education graduates who attend the make-up training and pass the end-of-training exams shall be given the diploma for the vocational area they have graduated from.
The phrase "50 or more workers" has been changed as "20 or more personnel".
Considering the educational facilities of the businesses that survive natural disasters such as earthquake, flood or fire, the rates that have been defined as 5-10% for such businesses may be changed upon suggestion from the provincial vocational education committee and approval of the Ministry.

Businesses where fewer than twenty personnel are employed may carry out skills training.

Calculation of the number of students to receive skills training is based on daytime shift and the number of employees during the season when seasonal activity is involved.
It is mandatory to establish a training unit for businesses where skills training shall be given to at least ten students.
Students can receive their theoretical training in the training units.
The lower limit for the theoretical raining is 12 hours.
Apart from strikes and lockout conditions, students can also continue their vocational training in their own schools and institutions in case of earthquake, fire, flood and natural disasters.
The three years of working period defined as a prerequisite for taking the experienced apprenticeship and proficiency exams has been changed to "a period to be defined by the Ministry".
For those who are engaged in professions where the proficiency title is not used, a certificate bearing the rights, authorizations and responsibilities of the proficiency certificate is given on the same basis.
A proficiency certificate may be given to those who attend an non-formal education institution for 2 years working under the Ministry of National Education after graduating from vocational and technical secondary education institutions or vocational and technical education centers.

It is mandatory for the authorities and professional chambers that issue the permit to open a workplace to ask for the certificate of proficiency from those who wish to open a workplace and be registered as a member.
The workplaces under coverage have to employ people who have received vocational training in the related areas.

The experienced apprentices, masters and general high school graduates who receive make-up training and are successful may be given a diploma in their vocational area.

Certificates and diplomas that have been obtained inside or outside the country after receiving training other than apprenticeship training may be evaluated in transition to this system.
Inspection of the training received by candidates for apprenticeship or experienced apprenticeship and the vocational training given by the businesses shall be attended by representatives of the chambers and associations where the related businesses are registered.
Businesses where vocational training is given shall be inspected by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in terms of workplace conditions, social security, occupational safety and health conditions.
This article has redefined the obligations.
Those who have opened a workplace before 10.07.2001 but do not have a proficiency certificate shall be given such a certificate if they successfully pass the make-up training.

5.3. ARRANGEMENTS IN THE LAW NO 4306

The phrase of "eight years of uninterrupted primary education" mentioned in paragraphs (C), (D), (E), (F) and (G) in the provisional article 1 of the Law no 4306 has been changed as "eight years of uninterrupted primary and secondary education". The validity date of the Law no 4306, which has proposed contribution to eight years of compulsory primary education has been extended until 31.12.2010. This revenue shall be used for primary and secondary education expenditures.

5.4. ARRANGEMENTS IN THE LAW NO 3797

As per paragraph (I) in article 15 of the Law no 4684 dated 20.06.2001, the name of the Office of Apprenticeship, Vocational and Technical Education Development and Spreading Fund has been changed to "Office of Apprenticeship, Vocational and Technical Education Development and Spreading". Its duties have been redefined as well.

The duties of the General Directorate of Secondary Education have been redefined and duties related to the opening of multi-program high schools and the associated duties of education, teaching and management have been taken out of the hands of the General Directorate of Secondary Education.

6. NEW APPROACHES IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Religious education has been restructured as part of the process of raising individuals who shall be the "constructive", "creative" and "elite" partners of the modern civilization, as mentioned in the General Purposes of the Turkish National Education System. This process has been conducted within the framework of institutional cooperation and with the required scientific support. Starting from 1998, the Ministry of National Education has defined the vision, mission and basic values of religious education.

BASIC VALUES OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
1. Spreading a concept of religion based on intelligence and science.
2. Adapting an approach of religious education that solves and interprets the issues rather than suppressing students and making them memorize.
3. Emphasizing the integrating, relaxing and peace-establishing strength of religion.
4. Conducting scientific research with the aim to remove concept conflicts and concept ambiguities in religious education.
5. Acquisition of a healthy understanding of religion through a quality education-teaching process.
6. Creating an atmosphere of trust in director, teacher, student, and legal custodian-family relations.
7. Developing and implementing teaching methods that shall serve to raise students who think, inquire and integrate their beliefs in their minds.
The Ministry of National Education is working on the means to reflect this vision, the mission and the values to the related programs and the Text books.

6.1. SCHEDULES AND TEXT BOOKS FOR RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS
As a consequence of primary education having been extended to eight years, transition from primary to secondary education being rearranged and some courses being added to the weekly course schedules of secondary education institutions as per the Law no 4306; the weekly schedules of religious schools, Anatolia religious schools and foreign language teaching religious schools have been reorganized.

Starting from the implementation of the new system, the Ministry of National Education has started an intensive process of program development and prepared teaching programs by establishing direct cooperation with the Ankara University Faculty of Theology and partial cooperation with other faculties of theology. Development of these programs is based on "respect" for humanity, cultural heritage, opinions, freedom and ethics, as seen in the figure below.

Below are the program development approaches used in scope and program design.
In terms of scope the programs aim to teach the students that religion is a concept which gives meaning to human life, helps man to live life humanely, includes the basic codes of communication needed by people to understand each other and regulates relations between God and man.
The program also brings a scientific point of view to the role of religion in society and history and to the solution of daily problems and emphasizes that religion is a guide in making human values come true. An interdisciplinary approach has been adopted with the participation of related scientists and institutions in order to ensure that the target learning included in the program can prepare for vocation, conform to pedagogical principles, and can meet the requirements of a democratic and secular society.
In terms of program development design, the innovation brought to the program is that specifics of the field of the subject matter, and the contribution of the program to both the individual and to society as a whole are emphasized, and the courses are covered using "intellectual-critical approaches".

6.2. DEVELOPMENT MODEL FOR RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS
A development model for religious schools has been applied since the academic year 1999-2000, aimed at implementing an effective teaching strategy that ensures higher quality education and better students' success through improving physical and human resources. In order to inform the schools about the standards defined by the model and to ensure that such standards are better understood and can be used as a practical guide, regional meetings for school directors that have been scheduled in 9 cities started in Konya as the pilot project city and 7 of these meetings have been held in Çorum,

Adana, Sivas, İstanbul, Þanlıurfa, Van and Erzurum, as a part of which guidance has been provided for 702 education directors.

DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS FOR PRIMARY EDUCATION RELIGION AND ETHICS SCHEDULE AND TEXT BOOKS
Development of the Text books for primary education Religion and Ethics schedule, which has been applied for 18 years, has been handled as part of the "Program Development Model" using a system approach.
This system includes,
- development of a teaching program
- development of guidebooks for teachers and students,
- preparation of Text books
- development of a Dictionary of Terms for Religious Education
- giving in-service training for teachers.

Religion and Ethics schedules that have been developed upon consultation with various institutions and organizations have been implemented starting from 2000-2001 academic year.
The units covered in the schedules and the books have been identified in relation to real life so that the learning activities are functional, can meet the needs of society and help people solve real life problems.
Text books and teachers' and students' guide books are being prepared for the education program built on the concepts of a rational basis, analytic thinking and social science terminology. Through such work:

DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL FOR PRIMARY EDUCATION RELIGION AND ETHICS SCHEDULE

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