President Erdoğan greeted Ministry staff, teachers, students, and participants during his speech at the Türkiye Education Technologies Summit.
Expressing his pleasure at attending the summit, now in its sixth year, President Erdoğan congratulated the Ministry of National Education, Minister Yusuf Tekin, and his team for successfully organizing this now-traditional event, and extended his thanks to all stakeholders involved.
President Erdoğan welcomed guests from Türkiye and around the world to "our beloved Istanbul" and thanked leading figures from academia, technology, and business for their contributions to the program.
Wishing success for the summit, which addresses all aspects of the role of artificial intelligence and innovation in education, President Erdoğan also marked the conclusion of the 2024–2025 academic year. On this occasion, he sent his heartfelt congratulations to all students across the country who are experiencing the excitement of report cards, expressing his sincere wishes for their continued success. He extended his gratitude to the families of these valuable young individuals who will shape Turkey's future and bring to life the vision of the "Century of Turkey" in every aspect. Furthermore, he conveyed his deepest thanks to all teachers serving selflessly in the villages, districts, and city centers across all 81 provinces—from Edirne to Iğdır—as well as to every member of the education community who works diligently and devotedly, regardless of weather conditions or working hours.
President Erdoğan said that he commemorated teachers Aybüke Yalçın and Necmettin Yılmaz—who were martyred while fulfilling their duties—as well as all other teachers who sacrificed their lives for this sacred cause, with mercy and gratitude. He prayed for God's mercy upon his own teachers who had passed away, and wished a long and healthy life to those still living. He also wished success to all students who will take the Higher Education Institutions Exam this weekend. Noting that technology now permeates all areas of life, Erdoğan said: "Digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing are transforming every field from the economy to diplomacy. Türkiye is adapting rapidly to this change and even leading in many areas. Our achievements in the defense industry and educational technologies are clear evidence of this. Education is not only about physical or technological conditions—it must also have a strong intellectual foundation. Systems that fail to keep up with the times are bound to fall behind.''
President Erdoğan stated that an education model detached from its roots, heritage, and intellectual tradition, and reliant on foreign ideologies, is bound to fail.
Quoting the late intellectual Samiha Ayverdi, President Erdoğan said: "There is a truth every citizen concerned with the country's problems must know: education policy is a matter of life and death."
He continued: "We see the accuracy of this statement more clearly each day. Since the day we took office, we have made education a top priority. We ended injustices like the coefficient system and headscarf bans, and modernized our schools to meet today's needs. We updated the curriculum, expanded access to education, and strengthened our technological infrastructure. We built a system rooted in our national values and focused on people and knowledge. One of the key pillars of this system is the FATİH Project, launched in 2011 and advanced further through the Century of Türkiye Education Model."
President Erdoğan said that, within the scope of the project launched to bring digital technologies to every classroom and expand their use in schools, network infrastructure installations have so far been completed in 21,576 schools. He noted that, in a very short time, infrastructure will be installed in 8,200 more schools, which will also be provided with high-speed internet access.
Additionally, President Erdoğan indicated that they have provided high-speed and secure fiber internet access to 13,800 schools and are continuing efforts to extend this service to 18,000 more schools. He also noted that 27,962 schools are connected via wired internet, 4,382 schools via mobile internet, and 1,040 rural schools via satellite internet.
"We have installed a total of 626,441 interactive whiteboards in our classrooms."
President Erdoğan emphasized that internet access has been effectively established in all schools and said: "To help our students benefit from a modern and rich learning environment, we have installed 626,441 interactive whiteboards in classrooms—51,758 of them in the last two years. This makes Türkiye the first and only country to complete installations in nearly all classrooms. We have set up IT classrooms to improve students' digital skills and are now upgrading 1,980 of them whose service life has ended."
President Erdoğan emphasized that the digital education infrastructure will be strengthened with 1,500 new fully equipped classrooms, reaching a total of 3,480. He added that these classrooms will include laptops, robotic kits, 3D printers, and interactive whiteboards, and that 503 innovative classrooms have already been introduced this year.
President Erdoğan stated that they are strongly supporting students and teachers in digital education through the Education and Informatics Network (EBA), and said: "With 3,169 courses, 77,014 content items, 3,407 books, and 85,764 questions, EBA has become one of the primary resources for our students and teachers. With EBA Academy, which is still under development, our students will be able to receive training in various fields that support their personal development beyond the standard curriculum. Through our personalized learning platform MEBİ, we contribute to students' academic progress and monitor each student's development individually."
President Erdoğan stated that they support innovative teaching approaches and diversify technological education methods through the Teacher Informatics Network. He noted that platforms such as the TEA Platform—where teachers exchange knowledge and experience with teachers from other countries—, the Public Education Centers Informatics Network for citizens in Türkiye and abroad, the foreign language learning platform to be launched in the new academic year, and the robotics and coding platform aimed at training future scientists and engineers, are all part of their efforts to integrate new technologies into education.
President Erdoğan emphasized their awareness of the major opportunities artificial intelligence offers in education and its potential to bring about significant paradigm shifts. He said: "We are carrying out our work in a multidimensional way, taking this reality into account. Last week, we shared the Education Artificial Intelligence Policy Document with the public and the education community. With our new elective AI courses integrated into middle and high school curricula, we aim to raise young individuals who produce technology, develop solutions, and think critically."
"In the next five years, we will provide significant support to more than 100 new entrepreneurs."
President Erdoğan stated that through the FEYZA and HİSAR projects, they have developed AI-supported solutions in areas such as university preparation, professional development, and multilingual learning. He said: "We have begun developing an AI assistant to support teachers in daily lessons. Our edtech ecosystem is growing stronger, with 1,280 companies now collaborating with the Ministry. These projects will support over 100 new entrepreneurs in the next five years. Together with TÜBİTAK, we aim to help 100+ local startups to compete globally. Recent events reminded us of the importance of data security. We are strengthening our cooperation with BiP and will encourage its use among students, parents, and teachers to avoid the problems that foreign messaging applications create."
President Erdoğan stated that Türkiye ranks among the leading OECD countries in providing technological infrastructure in education and emphasized that the Türkiye Century Education Model will continue to raise well-equipped, confident, and virtuous young individuals for the future.
President Erdoğan said: "We cannot deny that the increasing use of artificial intelligence across all fields, including education, brings certain challenges. While it makes research, access to information, and interpretation much easier, unfortunately, it also encourages laziness, dependence, and plagiarism."
President Erdoğan noted the growing use of AI in writing assignments and theses at all levels of education. He said: "If AI stops being a tool to ease our workload and turns into a shortcut for ready-made content, it will lead to dependency. I see this as a serious risk for humanity."
President Erdoğan said their main goal is for digitalization and social media to contribute to life without harming traditions or values. He added: "As digitalization spreads rapidly, we feel increasingly surrounded by it. Our natural connection to life is being replaced by digital tools, and digital bullying and public shaming are becoming serious threats to all age groups."
President Erdoğan warned that online insults, threats, slander, exclusion, and humiliation seriously endanger children's mental health. He said: "Traumas, anxiety disorders, and—God forbid—even suicides show how dangerous digital bullying and public shaming have become. Preventing digital bullying, which has become one of the biggest fears especially for our children, must be a priority. While promoting the use of technology in education, we cannot leave our children at the mercy of digital feudal lords."
President Erdoğan stated that freedom does not mean ignoring laws or values, and emphasized that they cannot stay silent while global tech companies and digital platforms, with revenues exceeding many countries' budgets, dominate all areas of life under the pretext of freedom.
President Erdoğan said: "We cannot allow digital platforms to treat our citizens, especially our youth and children, as mere market commodities. Like everyone else, these companies must act responsibly—not just for profit maximization, but with a sense of accountability. Türkiye will continue its firm and uncompromising stance on this issue."
"We acted with a perspective that prioritizes using production for the benefit of humanity."
Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin stated at the summit that the academic year has concluded across Türkiye with great effort and dedication. He emphasized that, under President Erdoğan's leadership, all resources were mobilized to ensure a safe and efficient learning environment. Tekin said: "Today, millions of students are excited to receive their report cards. I sincerely thank our devoted teachers, supportive parents, and hardworking students who give us hope for the future." He also noted that the world is searching for a new direction in key technological fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and space. In response, Türkiye is committed to following a principled path guided by its core values.
Minister Tekin stated: "While building our education system, we acted with an approach that centers technology without surrendering to it, values digital competence without neglecting value formation, aims to raise productive individuals, and prioritizes using production for the benefit of humanity."
Tekin stated that a nation's true strength lies in its well-equipped youth and generations that have not lost their compass and maintain moral legitimacy. He noted that under President Erdoğan's leadership, Türkiye has overcome all embargoes imposed on its people with the resolve of "We can do it!" and is now demonstrating the same determination in the field of education.
Minister Tekin stated that the dedication of a teacher who inspires hope in a student and the determination of engineers developing domestically produced munitions, UAVs, and satellites stem from the same source: national consciousness, faith-driven self-confidence, and a strong sense of responsibility. "This shared dedication," he said, "has brought us from a Türkiye that once imported the rope of the flagpole at Anıtkabir to a Türkiye that now exports advanced aircraft like KAAN."
Minister Tekin highlighted that Türkiye has built an educational infrastructure capable of producing its own digital content and using domestic software in classrooms. He noted that the "Türkiye Century Education Model Digital Ecosystem" integrates platforms such as FATİH, EBA, ÖBA, TEA, Velivizyon, and HEMBA to continuously support the digital needs of teachers, students, and parents across all levels.
"The Türkiye Century Education Model represents a profound transformation in educational mindset."
Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin emphasized that having a clear direction in education is a matter of national security: "The Türkiye Century Education Model is a fundamental mindset transformation that sets a national course and offers an intellectual stance against today's global challenges. It aims to raise individuals who not only code but also understand their cultural roots, who use AI with conscience. Our vision is to equip the TEKNOFEST Generation not just with skills, but with the responsibility to shape the future of humanity."
Following his address, Minister Yusuf Tekin presented President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with an AI-designed musical instrument.
Great Interest in the Summit
The three-day summit attracted participants from 17 countries, including ministers, deputy ministers, ambassadors, attachés, and representatives at various levels from Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Morocco, Georgia, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the Republic of the Congo, North Macedonia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Romania, Serbia, Somalia, and Tajikistan.
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