Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Deputy Minister Ömer Fatih Sayan noted that education was one of the fields that benefitted the most from the developments in information and communication infrastructures. He said, “Countries that use information and communication technologies effectively gain a competitive advantage in the international arena. In order to use information efficiently, technological infrastructures must be used intensively in education.”
As part of the protocol signed between the Ministry of Education (MEB), the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and GSM operators, all mobile phone subscribers will have free access of up to 3 GB to the online social training platform, Education IT Network (EBA).
At the ceremony organized at the Ministry of Education’s Başöğretmen Hall, the “Support for Access to Turkey’s Educational Content by Turkey’s Operators Cooperation Protocol” was signed between the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and GSM operators. In attendance was the Ministry of Education Deputy Minister Reha Denemeç, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Deputy Minister Ömer Fatih Sayan, Türksat CEO Cenk Şen, MEB Innovation Education Technologies General Manager Anıl Yılmaz, Turkcell Digital Business Services General Manager Hakan Erkan, Türksat Vice President Metin Çavuşoğlu, Türk Telekom Vice President Ümit Önal, and Vodafone Public Relations Senior Manager Burcu Önem.
Sayan said that in order for children and young adults to be raised as well equipped and aware individuals, they should knowledge effectively and efficiently.
Sayan, who expressed his gratitude for the free access provided by operators to the educational contents on EBA, said, “I believe the application will start operating before the end of April, and will be in complete operation mode by the month of May.”
In his speech, Deputy Minister Denemeç stated that the Ministry’s online social education platform EBA is an important education portal for Turkey, and that they are enriching the platform’s content with each passing day.
Denemeç pointed out the importance of the public having easy access to information by saying:
Independent of the location, we remove all obstacles in the way of the children’s access to knowledge and the different educational contents here. Just as they have access to these contents from their phones, they can access it through their mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters phones as well. Every individual in Turkey with a tablet or a smart phone will be given the opportunity to access these contents.
MEB Innovation Education Technologies General Manager Anıl Yılmaz stated that the availability of digital education materials is one of the important issues in the use of technology in education.
Yılmaz said that important steps have been taken when it comes to Turkey’s communication infrastructure, and announced that they have intensify efforts for the effective and efficient use in the education field.
Yılmaz stated that the cooperation is a clear indication of all aspects of society working together on this issue and the nation’s effort in order to achieve the 2023 Vision for Education goals.
After the speeches, Denemeç, Sayan and Yılmaz signed the protocol with officials of GSM operators.