The foundations of the Halil Falyalı Special Education and Vocational Training School was laid in the village of Ziyamet on Friday as part of an ongoing nationwide campaign to build new public schools.

The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Ünal Üstel and the Minister of National Education Nazım Çavuşoğlu.

Speaking at the concrete pouring ceremony, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel vowed to solve the countries long-standing problems.

He said that the necessary will shall be demonstrated to address the country’s growing needs particularly in education and health.

Prime Minister Üstel also emphasized importance the government attached to the country’s youth, preparing and implementing projects that will allow young people to establish roots, own homes and businesses.

He also said that studies and assessments carried out at public schools to determine which buildings are earthquake resistant have been completed.

“Our efforts at the moment are concentrated at schools which have been determined to be unsafe and cannot withstand a powerful earthquake. At the same time our government is working to build new schools such as this one through a collaboration with philanthropists,” he said.

National Education Minister Nazım Çavuşoğlu who also spoke at the ceremony said that once the school was completed, it will provide a much more modern and internationally standardized environment for children with special needs.

He mentioned that they have planned 24 schools, out of which 17 have been completed and currently in use.

Çavuşoğlu said that 15 of these schools were constructed by philanthropists who supported the ongoing nationwide school building campaign launched after the February 6 earthquake in Türkiye, while 9 were built by the government.

Minister Çavuşoğlu also highlighted the successful implementation of a separate campaign to build classrooms for current schools.

He said that 140 classrooms were built as part of the campaign and added that once the schools are completed, problems in the area of education will be solved.

Minister Çavuşoğlu added that they have also started addressing the infrastructure issues necessary for transitioning to full-day education.