Turkish school raises bar of excellence in Polish education

In addition to its renowned quality of education, the school stands out with its international student body representing a wide range of the world’s nations. More than half the school’s students are Polish while the international segment includes Turks, Vietnamese, Canadians and Mongolians.

Set up eight years ago by Turkish entrepreneurs and volunteers, the school is proud of its excellent staff. Ogün Akman, the principal of the school, proudly states that all the teachers at his school have impressive academic backgrounds. In fact the school does not hire teachers without graduate degrees, and four of the school’s 34 teachers have doctorates.

The school offers educational programs from nursery classes to high school and currently has 120 students in total. Fifty-five of these children are in primary and middle school classes while 45 of the students are in high school.

The school follows Poland’s national education curriculum and has the status of a private school. “In addition to this, we also offer an International Baccalaureate diploma program. In our institution, in addition to theory, we provide practice in labs and other experimental settings as well as activities outside the school.” Akman says the school’s aim is to raise disciplined and respectful students who adhere to society’s values. The school’s program is taught bilingually, in English and Polish. Akman says English classes start in the first year of school and this is the reason why all the students speak excellent English. Akman notes that Turkish language classes are also offered in the school in addition to activities that teach the children about Turkish culture.

The school is also home to the Meridian Mathematics Contest, where students from all throughout Poland compete to show off their mathematical skills. Akman explains that the contest, which has been held for six years now, has become a very important national event in Poland’s education sector. Students from the International Meridian School also compete in different science Olympiads both in Poland and internationally.

 Akman notes that the school is not seen as a Turkish school but an international one. “People in this country are very sensitive when picking the right school for their children. So when they come to us, parents usually have prior information. Our relationship with the parents is excellent as very strong bridges are usually formed between us after the initial communication.” Akman said the school marks Muslim religious holidays and also organizes trips to Turkey.

International Turkish Olympiad begins with spectacular ceremony

The official opening ceremony of the 8th International Turkish Olympiad took place yesterday at İstanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace and was marked with a fireworks display.

Organized by the International Turkish Education Association (TÜRKÇEDER), the International Turkish Olympiad is a contest that has been held annually since 2003. A total of 750 students from 120 countries, including Afghanistan, Argentina, Benin, Congo, Ethiopia, France, Italy, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Uganda, will compete in the eighth annual Olympiad. Last year, competitors from 115 countries participated.

Some 150 students wearing traditional costumes participated in the opening ceremony and offered foods from world cuisine to members of the press and the business world. Kadir Çöpdemir, a famous television personality and comedian, was the emcee at the opening ceremony.

The Olympiad is set to stage colorful shows, bringing hundreds of foreign students from Turkish schools throughout the world to Turkey. The students will compete in 13 categories ranging from poetry to songs.

Cultural festivals have been planned in 14 Turkish provinces, including Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, Erzurum, Gaziantep, İstanbul, İzmir, Kahramanmaraş, Kayseri, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Samsun and Trabzon, during the 16-day event. Hundreds of foreign students will bring traditional costumes, photos, food, handicrafts and music from their countries to display at the cultural festivals.

The eighth International Turkish Olympiad dance final will be held in Bursa on May 31, the singing final at İstanbul’s Ataköy Sinan Erdem Sports Hall on June 1, the poetry final in Konya on June 3 and the final ceremony in İstanbul on June 9. İstanbul Today’s Zaman