Efforts are made to plan, monitor, inspect and coordinate the purchase, sales, investment and distribution activities of the production-oriented revolving funds at various levels of the MNE, to take all kinds of economical, commercial and managerial measures for their efficient and effective operation and to increase the amount of the revolving funds.

Advantages for Education and Teaching

Advantages for Students

Advantages for Teachers

Advantages for School

Advantages for the MNE and Economy

1. REVOLVING FUND OPERATIONS

In 1983 only 423 of the schools and institutions operating under the Ministry of National Education had revolving fund operations within their system. When the total capital of these institutions was 690 million liras, the number of schools increased to 1.703 in 2001, and the total capital rose to about 53 billion liras. Reasons for the establishment of, and the advantages of revolving funds are listed below.

1.1. WHY ARE REVOLVING FUNDS ESTABLISHED?

Below are some of the reasons why revolving funds have been established within the schools and institutions operating under the Ministry of National Education;
- To help students and participants get more familiar with vocation-related subjects and reinforce their learning while actively working on the orders received through the revolving fund,

- To support training of educated intermediate labor needed by the market and the industry.

- To have the workshop capacity, machine park and technical labor in the schools utilized by the economy and to minimize general budget and family budget expenditures for applied education.

- To develop feelings of entrepreneurship in students and participants

- To provide additional income for the vocational and technical personnel working in schools and to retain them in their positions.

To support cheap but quality production and distribution of course materials and course books needed by the Ministry of National Education, and to achieve similar goals.

1.2. ADVANTAGES OF REVOLVING FUNDS

One of the objectives of vocational technical education is to ensure that educated intermediate labor needed by the industrial and service sector is trained to the requirements of the market and the business community. Therefore, students have to receive practical as well as theoretical education. Practical education in the schools of the Ministry of National Education is performed during practical work at schools and during vocational education, trainee practices and revolving fund operations in the businesses. Particularly, the fact that in small settlement areas, students have limited opportunity to take advantage of vocational training and internship in businesses with the required standards, which makes revolving fund operations more important.

Some of the students and participants attending vocational and technical education schools and institutions have their theoretical education while working on the orders received through the revolving fund. Thus, students learn the subjects related to their profession better and permanently reinforce what they have learned. Also, students are paid money for the work they have done. As a result, the student is both vocationally developed and able to adapt more easily to his/her future workplace, and has the habit and pleasure of earning money while still a student.

Advantages of revolving funds for the teachers may be grouped under two headings as economical and vocational.
In economical terms; teachers who work on revolving fund business in a school where revolving fund operates well and who cooperate with the work of students, earn a gross salary per month of about 220.000.000 liras including overtime and production incentive premium (100.000.000 for overtime, 120.000.000 as a profit share).
In vocational terms, teachers working for the revolving fund have the opportunity to constantly renew themselves professionally and are able to closely follow new production techniques and machine technology. This is an important contribution to education and to teaching. Also, some of the directors and teachers are encouraged to attend domestic and foreign fairs every year, at the expense of the revolving fund, in order to increase their knowledge and experience, and to be able to follow changes and innovations.

Machines, equipment, tools, etc. that are urgently needed by the school and cannot be provided from elsewhere are purchased at the expense of the revolving fund. Purchasing such urgent needs using the revolving fund is a great contribution for the schools. The workshop capacity, machine parks and technical labor potential in the schools contribute to production through the channel of revolving fund operations, following the regular training activities. Profit is obtained during this production and this profit is invested to be used for developing and expanding the apprenticeship, vocational and technical education at the end of 2-3 years.

These values which are gained while using the existing resources represent a contribution to economy, though very little, while the main goals are attained. When the effective revolving fund legislation is amended to meet current requirements, this figure may be multiplied many times.

1.3. DRAFT LAW FOR THE REVOLVING FUND OPERATIONS OF THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL EDUCATION

The revolving fund operations within the schools and institutions of the Ministry of National Education have been established and effected as per the 6 different laws that were put into effect in the 1930's. The laws, which were made to meet the requirements of the 1930's, cannot serve the needs of today, and their large number leads to big problems in their application. In order to solve these problems and to restructure and reorganize the administrative, financial and technical aspects of the revolving fund operations within the school and institutions of the Ministry of National Education, the Draft Law for the Revolving Fund Operations of the Ministry of National Education, which has been prepared and sent to the Prime Ministry, was presented to the Turkish Grand National Assembly as a Government Draft and included in the General Council agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly after passing from related commissions, is expected to become effective in the new legislative period. If the draft becomes a law, it will bring about the innovations below.

- The 6 different revolving fund laws, most of which were put into effect in the 1930's, shall be combined into a SINGLE LAW to meet current needs.

- The total capital allocated to the revolving fund operations shall be increased from 52.5 billion liras to 50 trillion liras.

- Through revolving funds, practical part of the vocational and technical education shall be performed on real work and students will learn faster and better, and entrepreneurship awareness shall be developed in students and participants.

- Since the practicing students and participants shall be paid for it, they will acquire the habit and get the pleasure of earning money while attending school and contribute to their family budgets.

- Unity and effectiveness in management and inspection shall lead to healthier provisions of guidance and Advisory services.

- Students and participants will have the opportunity to make production out of school (at home) and earn money for each piece, contribution to the economy and the family budget shall be achieved by utilization of leisure time and a home operation model shall be initiated.

- Since revolving fund profits shall be used to increase the capital, no burden on the general budget shall be involved.

- Revolving funds shall operate more efficiently and profitably, and the existing machine park and technical labor shall contribute more to the national economy.

2. HEALTH SERVICES

Efforts are made to carry out the examination, treatment and other health-related services for the Ministry of National Education personnel and families dependent on them, to plan and implement treatment expenses, to provide health education services and health examination to students and other personnel in the education institutions of the Ministry of National Education.

RESOURCE: MNE Department of Health Affairs

In 2001, there are 102 health education centers in 80 cities and some large towns, and the Validebað teachers' hospital in Istanbul with bedding capacity of 450.

3. SUPPORT SERVICES

3.1. TRANSPORTATION

Transportation services of the central organization are provided by 60 vehicles: 3 official cars, 40 wagon cars, 6 minibuses, 1 minibus, 1 bus, 1 trailer, 1 hearse, 2 trucks, 1 searching bus, 1 lorry and 3 ambulances. Provincial and district national education directorates, schools and other education and teaching institutions have 2.045 vehicles excluding those allocated by societies and foundations. The operation, maintenance and repair expenses of these cars are paid for according to the principles stated in the budget laws.

3.2. STUDENT FEES

396 of the students who cannot receive vocational education in businesses as per article 25 of Law no 3308, are employed in the national education directorates to have vocational education in their areas. These students are paid minimum wages.

3.3. CATERING SERVICES

Lunch is provided in 10 buildings and 14 cafeterias for personnel of the central organization. Personnel in the Ankara Provincial National Education Directorate and the Çankaya District National Education Directorate can also benefit from the catering service. Catering costs are financed by contributions from the Ministry of Finance, based on the calculated prices for 90% of the total number of personnel identified for the fiscal year 2001, and varying between 290.000 and 1.050.000 TL per day, depending on title and rank of personnel.

11.061 personnel can benefit from the catering service in 79 provincial and 40 district national education directorates established upon approval of the Ministry of National Education.

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Ministry Of National Education
All Rights Reserved.