The Ministry of National Education has decided to focus on training activities with the purpose of developing more active disaster and emergency services and raising disaster awareness among the public.

 

The Ministry also decided to found search and rescue teams made up of only teachers (AKUB) which will work in coordination with the AFAD teams in cases of emergencies and disasters.  The Ministry will start a series of training programs as a part of "2021 Disaster Training Year" throughout the country.

 

The Ministry will take further steps in the organization of informative activities for students, teachers and parents; preparation of training programs for those who will work as members of disaster and emergency teams; organization of contents, training programs and seminars; preparation of posters and brochures and assessment of sources that will be needed in the crisis centers.

 

It is planned to carry out activities aiming at developing disaster preparedness culture in education institutions, disseminating volunteering and teaching correct actions that should be followed before, during and after the disasters. Among the other prior targets of the Ministry are organizing training programs about basic precautions in cases of emergencies and disasters; preparing emergency plans for schools and organizing exercises based on disaster scenarios.  

 

Within this framework, club and team activities based on disasters will be increased and evacuation exercises will be organized during the Earthquake Week set for March 1-7.

 

The Ministry will found trained and well informed MEB AKUB teams in 81 provincial directorates of national education with the purpose of providing active and quick support to search and rescue teams during disasters and cases of emergencies.

 

Members of MEB AKUB teams should successfully complete 10 hour "Search, Rescue and Evacuation Training Seminar" and 32 hour "Search and Rescue Team Training Course".

 

Members of these teams must also serve as volunteers in AFAD and work in coordination with the AFAD teams.

 

Teams made up of 25 personnel must also attend annual training and exercise activities. Members of the teams will also work as trainers in the Basic Disaster Awareness Training programs organized in public education centers and give Disaster and Emergency Preparedness and Awareness Training to students. 

 

AKUB teams will undertake active duties in disasters and emergencies. Within this framework, they will be assigned by AFAD. School counselor members of the teams will play an active role as a part of psychosocial support services to disaster victims.

 

"Hundreds of thousands of teachers completed Disaster and Emergency Training Programs and worked all over the country"

 

Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk stated that Turkish people should always be prepared against disasters because of the country's geographical location.

 

Noting that his Ministry had prepared a series of projects under the leadership of teachers who participated in the advanced disaster training programs in Japan, Selçuk said, "Hundreds of thousands of teachers completed Disaster and Emergency Training Programs and worked all over the country. The Ministry of National Education has successfully raised human resources in this field. Our teachers were in the field during the earthquakes in Elazığ and İzmir. They provided psychosocial support to children and joined search and rescue activities. Now, we are collecting this experience under the umbrella of AKUB."