"Turkish Education Program as Foreign Language" program designed for teaching Turkish as a foreign language both in Turkey and abroad and in an effort to respond to increasing need in this field is completed. Many experts and academicians from different universities attended the preparation of the program carried out in cooperation with PIKTES (Project to Support Integration of Syrian Children to the Turkish Education System) and Turkish Education Foundation on behalf of the Ministry of National Education. Program based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR 2001:2018), Fundamental Life Skills (21st Century Skills), the European Qualifications Framework and Values is approved by the Head Council of Education and Morality.
The program was developed in order to teach Turkish as a foreign language from the basic level (A1) to advanced level (C1), associate fundamental language skills (reading, listening, verbal production, verbal interaction and writing) with integrated approach and support language skills in an effort to increase cultural sensitivity in line with the socio-cultural context of language.
Stressing that Turkey is the key of civilization, Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk said, "Our language Turkish is the carrier of culture. Till today, we have initiated many projects in order to the Turkish language and to humanity. Today, there is an increasing demand for learning Turkish as a foreign language all over the world. Language is very important for disseminating our culture to the entire world. We are working in an effort to increase the number of the population speaking Turkish."
Minister Selçuk said the content of the "Turkish Education Program as Foreign Language" is designed in compliance with both formal and informal education adding that the program is the first of its kind approved by the Ministry of National Education.
"From now on, we will set national and international standards in the assessment of Turkish language skills and preparation of teaching materials in the formal and informal education institutions teaching Turkish as a foreign language in Turkey and abroad," said Selçuk.