Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk and his Turkmen counterpart Orazgeldi Amandurdıyeviç Gurbanov got together during an online 3rd Turk-Turkmen Council Meeting. Among the other participants of the meeting were, Director General for the European Union and Foreign Relations Burcu Eyisoy Dalkıran, Director General for Higher Education and Study Abroad Ahmet Emre Bilgili, Turkey's Ambassador to Ashgabat Togan Oral, Turkmenistan Ambassador in Ankara İşankuli Amanlıyev, Director of Turkmenistan National Education Institute Bayram Başimov and Ministry officials.
The Memorandum of Understanding and Regulation concerning the planned Joint Turk-Turkmen Education School, Cooperation Agreement in the field of Education and Cooperation in Turkish lessons were among the topics of the meeting.
Minister Selçuk congratulated the anniversary of independence of Turkmenistan and stated that relations and cooperation agreements with Turkmenistan reached a peak in the last 30 years.
Noting that the last Turk-Turkmen Council Meeting in the field of education took place in 2015, Selçuk stated that it was important to organize this meeting despite the pandemic conditions.
Selçuk stressed that joint cultural values and fellowship between the two countries were set on solid foundations of friendship and cooperation between Turkey and Turkmenistan and went on to say, "We believe that schools which are among the most important symbols of our friendship make an important contribution to the establishment of close ties between two countries. We have agreed on preparing a Memorandum of Understanding and Regulation concerning the Joint Turk-Turkmen Education School. I also think that it will be useful to start working on a larger Education Cooperation Agreement."
Pointing out that Turkey has given scholarships to thousands of Turkmen students between 1992 and 2020, Selçuk said these students turned into culture ambassadors today.
Minister Selçuk stated that education was among the most affected fields due to pandemic adding that, "The Republic of Turkey has achieved many successful projects in an effort to reduce the adverse effects of this process to a minimum. For example, Vocational High Schools made important contributions to public health and the country's economy by producing many products such as masks, disinfectants and ventilators. During the same period, the Education Information Network publicly known as EBA has opened new horizons in distance education. We would like to share our experience with your country."
Meanwhile, Turkmen Minister of Education Orazgeldi Amandurdıyeviç Gurbanov stressed that the meeting was very productive in terms of boosting cooperation between two countries in the field of education and it will also provide momentum for joint activities.