The first meeting of the Regional Awareness Days, where the Ministry of National Education brings together policy makers, education authorities, community leaders and NGO representatives at central, regional and local levels to combat early school leaving, was held in Ankara.

The meeting hosted the participants from the pilot Provincial Directorates of MoNE from Afyon, Ankara, Çankırı, Nevşehir, Trabzon and Şırnak; administrators and teachers from pilot schools; mukhtars and NGO representatives, and it started with opening speeches.  During the meeting, participants were informed about the activities carried out within the scope of the project and EU policies and practices on combating early school leaving (ESL), the current status of early school leaving (ESL) in Türkiye, the ODAP Integrated Model and the Early Warning System (EUS), which offer an integrated approach to combating ESL in secondary education.

In the afternoon part of the meeting, the participants were divided into groups and worked in groups to discuss their contributions for preventing early school leaving.

Regional Awareness Days, aiming to create an enabling environment for participation, consultation and dialogue with relevant stakeholders, will continue second and third rounds in Şanlıurfa and Istanbul, respectively.

Stakeholders’ Contribution Targeted in the Implementation of ODAP Integrated Model

It is organised in order to obtain the support of stakeholders in the implementation of the ODAP Integrated Model, which is implemented to achieve real social progress in combating early school leaving and to increase school attendance.

The ODAP Integrated Model, developed by the Ministry of National Education within the scope of the ODAP Project in order to prevent early school leaving in secondary education and to combat absenteeism, aims to prevent early school leaving with measures to be implemented in 3 areas: “prevention”, “intervention” and “compensation”.

Within the scope of ODAP, both academic and psycho-social interventions are carried out for students at risk in order to strengthen their ties with school and improve their perceptions of the future.  The interventions include catch-up classes to strengthen their academic achievement, mentoring, creative and educational activities to develop their talents and skills.

The second meeting of Regional Awareness Days, organised to discuss the measures taken to combat early school leaving and to receive the support of stakeholders, was held in Şanlıurfa.

Education authorities, NGOs and opinion leaders gather together at the meeting, including representatives from the Provincial Directorates of MoNE, administrators and teachers of pilot schools, mukhtars and NGO representatives from the pilot provinces of Hakkari and Hatay as well as the neighboring provinces of Gaziantep, Diyarbakır and Mardin.

In the first session of the meeting, the participants were informed about the current status of early school leaving (ESL) in Türkiye, the measures in place within the scope of ODAP and EU policies and practices on early school leaving. The participants were also introduced ODAP Integrated Model and Early Warning System (EUS), which offer an integrated approach to combat ESL in secondary education.

In the afternoon session of the meeting, group workshops were carried out so that the participants could contribute to prevent early school leaving.

“Regional Awareness Days” organised by the Ministry of National Education to bring together education authorities and non-governmental organisations to prevent early school leaving and absenteeism were completed with the last meeting held in Istanbul.

The meeting was attended by officials from the Provincial Directorates of Ministry of National Education (MoNE), administrators and teachers from pilot schools, mukhtars and NGO representatives from pilot provinces of Sakarya, Ağrı, Bingöl and Tekirdağ as well as Istanbul.

The participants discussed the measures taken for the prevention of early school leaving and absenteeism in the meeting, and they were informed about the interventions made within the scope of ODAP and the tools developed such as the Early Warning System.

The Regional Awareness Days were organised to achieve real societal progress in combating early school leaving and to gain stakeholders’ support in the implementation of the Early Warning System to improve school attendance.

An evaluation report will be prepared at the end of the meetings organised in three different cities, namely Ankara, Şanlıurfa and Istanbul.

The second round of Parent Information Meetings was held in Çankırı on 17 September 2024.

The meeting, aiming to raise awareness about ODAP Integrated Model and to explain to parents the importance of regular school attendance, was held at Çankırı 15 Temmuz Şehitler Anatolian High School.

In the first session of the meeting, parents were informed about the current status of early school leaving and the activities carried out within the scope of ODAP. In second session, the participants carried out a group work.

3rd Parent Information Meeting, organised to strengthen cooperation with parents in combating early school leaving and absenteeism, was held in Nevşehir.

Parents, invited from all pilot schools in Nevşehir, attended the meeting held on 18 September 2024 at Nevşehir Ahi Evran Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School.

As in previous meetings, the parents were informed about the measures to ensure regular school attendance and combat early school leaving within the scope of ODAP in the first session, and later they carried out a group work for detailed discussion.

The main objective of Parent Information Meetings organised in each pilot province, is to raise awareness among parents about the importance of regular school attendance and the ODAP Integrated Model.

The second round of Parent Information Meetings, organised to improve cooperation with families to prevent early school leaving and absenteeism and to inform families about the implementation of ODAP, started in Ankara.

The meeting was held at Altıağaç Anatolian High School with the participation of parents invited from all pilot schools in Ankara.

In the first part of the meeting, parents were informed about the education system in Türkiye, the current status of early school leaving and the background of the project. Afterwards, the activities carried out within the scope of ODAP were explained, the importance of combating early school leaving was emphasized and success stories were shared.

In the second part of the meeting, group work was carried out and the participants discussed the solutions for early school leaving.

Parent Information Meetings, which aim to raise awareness about the ODAP Integrated Model and explain to parents the importance of regular school attendance, will be organised in half-day meetings in all pilot provinces.

Parent Information Meetings, held in pilot provinces to strengthen cooperation with parents within the framework of the ODAP Integrated Model, continue.

The fourth meeting was held in Bingol with the participation of parents from all pilot schools in the province.

In the first session of the meeting held at Bingöl Borsa İstanbul Anatolian High School on 20 September 2024, the  parents were informed about the measures taken within the scope of ODAP to combat early school leaving and absenteeism.  In the following sessions, a group work was conducted to discuss the possible solutions for early school leaving.

2nd Workshop for the preparation of ODAP National Strategy Paper was held in Ankara to share the draft version of the National Strategy Paper prepared under the project with the participants and to receive their feedback.

The workshop, which brought together the relevant parties for the finalisation of the National Strategy Paper on preventing early school leaving and combating absenteeism, continued for two days.

The first day of the workshop, which was attended by stakeholders from the Ministry of National Education, teachers, academics, representatives of relevant institutions and non-governmental organisations, started with the speech by Ms. Gülsüm Memişkaptanoğlu, Head of the Department of Educational Environments, Learning Processes, Special Programmes and Project Implementing Educational Institutions, Directorate General of Secondary Education.

Afterward, each section of the draft version of National Strategy Paper was presented to the participants for their feedback and comments.

On the second day of the workshop, group works took place. Participants worked on the draft Paper in groups and finalized the document by reflecting the feedback received on the first day. At the end of the day, each group presented the results of their work.

National Strategy Paper includes targets and strategies for implementing interventions to prevent early school leaving in secondary education, increasing the capacities of secondary education institutions and raising public awareness on the consequences of early school leaving in secondary education.

Implementation of the Activity 1.6.1 Organisation of Creative Educational Activities is starting with a view to strengthening students’ sense of belonging to school, improving the school climate as well as making school environments and educational life more attractive for students.

The activities have been prepared to help students become more ambitious in terms of concentrating more on learning as well as acquiring skills they need therefor by focusing on a creative target and will continue for 3 days.

The activities, which all the 9^th graders can attend and where students will have the opportunity to share the creative educational activities that they conducted in the ODAP classrooms such as visual arts, music, drama, handicrafts etc., will be held in a festival/fair concept. The events will also include sports competitions, drama performances and student concerts.

The activities, which will take place between April and May, aim to encourage groupwork and team building as well as socialising students through their interaction with their peers.

Creative educational activities will be implemented at schools based on the below calendar:

PILOT SCHOOL	PROVINCE	DISTRICT	DATE
Şuhut Şehit İbrahim Imış Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School	AFYONKARAHİSAR	ŞUHUT	13-14-15 May 2024
Metin-Zülbiye Sarı Anatolian High School	AFYONKARAHİSAR	EMİRDAĞ	14-15-16 May 2024
Şehit Abdülkadir Kocatürk Anatolian High School	AFYONKARAHİSAR	BOLVADİN	13-14-15 May 2024
Necip Fazıl Kısakürek Religious Anatolian High School	AĞRI	CENTRE	7-8-9 May 2024
Diyadin Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School	AĞRI	DİYADİN	8-9-10 May 2024
Yunus Emre Anatolian High School	AĞRI	DOĞUBAYAZIT	8-9-10 May 2024
Yılmaz Hatunoğlu Anatolian High School	AĞRI	CENTRE	7-8-9 May 2024
Bağlum Şehit Yakup Çapat Religious Anatolian High School	ANKARA	KEÇİÖREN	6-7-8 May 2024
Battalgazi Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School	ANKARA	MAMAK	15-16-17 May 2024
Piri Reis Anatolian High School	ANKARA	ALTINDAĞ	24-25-26 May 2024
50. Yıl Şehit Uhud Kadir Işık Anatolian High School	ANKARA	ÇANKAYA	15-16-17 May 2024
Altıağaç Anatolian High School	ANKARA	MAMAK	15-16-17 April 2024
Akdere Anatolian High School	ANKARA	MAMAK	17-18-19 April 2024
Saray Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School	BİNGÖL	CENTRE	17-18-19 April 2024
Atatürk Anatolian High School	BİNGÖL	CENTRE	17-18-19 April 2024
Borsa İstanbul Bingöl Anatolian High School	BİNGÖL	CENTRE	17-18-19 April 2024
Çankırı 15 Temmuz Şehitler Anatolian High School	ÇANKIRI	CENTRE	8-9-10 May 2024
Seyyid Abdullah Şemdini Religious Anatolian High School	HAKKÂRİ	ŞEMDİNLİ	13-14-15 May 2024
Muharrem Malazgirt Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School	HAKKÂRİ	YÜKSEKOVA	15-16-17 May 2024
Cumhuriyet Anatolian High School	HAKKÂRİ	CENTRE	15-16-17 May 2024
15 Temmuz Şehitleri Anatolian High School	HAKKÂRİ	CENTRE	15-16-17 May 2024
Borsa İstanbul Anatolian High School	HAKKÂRİ	ŞEMDİNLİ	13-14-15 May 2024
Belen Religious Anatolian High School	HATAY	BELEN	15-16-17 May 2024
Dörtyol Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School	HATAY	DÖRTYOL	15-16-17 May 2024
Abdullah Sayek Anatolian High School	HATAY	İSKENDERUN	15-16-17 May 2024
Yenibosna Religious Anatolian High School	İSTANBUL	BAHÇELİEVLER	16-17-18 April 2024
50. Yıl Cumhuriyet Feridun Tümer Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School	İSTANBUL	KADIKÖY	15-16-17 April 2024
Tarabya Cevat Koçak Anatolian High School	İSTANBUL	SARIYER	15-16-17 April 2024
Sancaktepe Fatih Borsa İstanbul Anatolian High School	İSTANBUL	SANCAKTEPE	15-16-17 April 2024
Mehmet Rauf Anatolian High School	İSTANBUL	ATAŞEHİR	15-16-17 April 2024
Mehmet Şam Anatolian High School	İSTANBUL	SARIYER	15-16-17 April 2024
Derinkuyu Zeliha Ekmekci Religious Anatolian High School	NEVŞEHİR	DERİNKUYU	8-9-10 May 2024
Nevşehir Ahi Evran Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School	NEVŞEHİR	CENTRE	8-9-10 May 2024
Damat İbrahim Paşa Anatolian High School	NEVŞEHİR	ACIGÖL	8-9-10 May 2024
Sakarya Ticaret ve Sanayi Odası Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School	SAKARYA	ADAPAZARI	14-15-16 May 2024
Şehit Üsteğmen İbrahim Abanoz Anatolian High School	SAKARYA	KARASU	15-16-17 May 2024
Karaköprü Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School	ŞANLIURFA	KARAKÖPRÜ	6-7-8 May 2024
Halfeti Anatolian High School	ŞANLIURFA	HALFETİ	15-16-17 May 2024
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Anatolian High School	ŞANLIURFA	SİVEREK	8-9-10 May 2024
Mürşitpınar Anatolian High School	ŞANLIURFA	SURUÇ	8-9-10 May 2024
Buhara Anatolian High School	ŞANLIURFA	EYYÜBİYE	16-17-18 May 2024
Hilvan Anatolian High School	ŞANLIURFA	HİLVAN	20-21-22 May 2024
Yusuf Cezeri Religious Anatolian High School	ŞIRNAK	CİZRE	6-7-8 May 2024
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Anatolian High School	ŞIRNAK	CİZRE	6-7-8 May 2024
Yunus Emre Anatolian High School	ŞIRNAK	CİZRE	6-7-8 May 2024
Şehit Ulaş Türk Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School	TEKİRDAĞ	ÇORLU	17-18-19 April 2024
Ergene Anatolian High School	TEKİRDAĞ	ERGENE	17-18-19 April 2024
Atatürk Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School	TRABZON	ORTAHİSAR	6-7-8 May 2024
Arsin Anatolian High School	TRABZON	ARSİN	6-7-8 May 2024
Trabzon Şehit Necmi Çakır Anatolian High School	TRABZON	OF	6-7-8 May 2024

University visits, which will be organised to raise students’ awareness about the importance of continuing education for a successful future and of university education in shaping one’s future, are starting.

9^th graders who participated in the catch-up classes, received mentoring services, or actively took part in the creative educational activities will attend the university visits.

University visits, which will be carried out with the participation of 35 people from each province, will take place in Ankara, İstanbul, İzmir, Trabzon and Gaziantep. The groups consisting of students, teachers/administrators from the pilot schools will include 30 students and 5 accompanying teachers and/or school administrators.

These visits aim to ensure that students gain awareness about university and campus life, determine their goals for being a university student, and set realistic criteria for the choices they will make.

At the end of the visits, students and teachers/school administrators will be asked to submit a short report summarising their observations and experiences. University visits will take place according to the following schedule:

Pilot Province	University to be Visited	Date
ÇANKIRI	Ankara Gazi University	18 April 2024
İSTANBUL (3 schools in  Anatolian side)	İstanbul University of Health Sciences (Former Marmara University)	18 April 2024
ŞIRNAK	İzmir Ege University (Bornova Campus)	25 April 2024
HAKKÂRİ	Ankara Middle East Technical University	25 April 2024
BİNGÖL	Trabzon Karadeniz Technical University	29 April 2024
AĞRI	Trabzon Karadeniz Technical University	29 April 2024
TEKİRDAĞ	İstanbul İstanbul Technical University (Ayazağa Campus)	29 April 2024
SAKARYA	İstanbul Marmara University Göztepe Campus	30 April 2024
TRABZON	Trabzon Karadeniz Technical University	30 April 2024
ŞANLIURFA	Gaziantep Gaziantep University	29 April 2024
HATAY	Gaziantep Gaziantep University	30 April 2024
ANKARA	Ankara Gazi University	2 May 2024
İSTANBUL (3 schools in European side)	İstanbul Boğaziçi University	2 May 2024
NEVŞEHİR	Ankara Ankara University	2 May 2024
AFYONKARAHİSAR	Ankara Ankara University	3 May 2024