Turkey implements new two-level elective courses in secondary schools

Özer reminded that the "Zero Waste Project" is being carried out under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's wife Emine Erdoğan in order to prevent climate change, which is one of the biggest problem areas for the future , and to convey the awareness of environmental protection to students from an early age. He stated that they have been working with the Ministry of Health a lot.

Özer stated that as the Ministry, they took an important step to allocate more space to the " environmental education and climate change" course in the curriculum .

"With Turkey's becoming a party to the Paris Agreement, efforts to combat climate change have gained momentum in all areas. As the Ministry of National Education, we have made an important change in the curriculum to raise awareness of our young generations in Turkey's fight against climate change. With the decision taken at the Board of Education and Discipline meeting, The 'environmental education' course, which has been taught as an elective 2 hours a week in 7th or 8th grades since 2015, will be taught for 1 hour in 6th and 7th grades and 1 or more hours in 8th grades to be taught as of 2022-2023 academic year. 2 hours will be applied under the name of 'environmental education and climate change' as an elective. In this context, environment and climate change education will have a wider place in the curriculum as a long-term investment in the future."

Minister Özer also stated that they will inform the teachers about environmental awareness and said, "All teachers will be informed about climate change, environmental awareness and zero waste during the semester break." He also shared his knowledge.