Turkish Prime Minister Says Higher Education Is An Area Which Will Be Arranged By Parliament

ANKARA - Higher education was an area which would be arranged by the Turkish parliament, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.
Addressing Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies at the parliament, Erdogan said that the parliament should easily express its own will and noted, ''nobody should try to press on this will. If somebody attempts to do so, he/she will see the response of the parliament.''
Erdogan noted that draft Higher Education Board (YOK) law was a draft which could be shaped up by the parliament's will after the same democratic and legal processes were followed as done in other draft laws.
Draft YOK law will be concluded with the scope of constitutional order and parliamentary processes, Erdogan stated.
Turkish parliament was a democratic legislative parliament, Erdogan said.
Erdogan pointed out that national will could be seen under the roof of the sublime parliament, adding that parliament's will was the will of the Turkish nation.
Erdogan said that the draft YOK law was a text based on compromise of representatives of Interuniversity Board and bureaucrats of the National Education Ministry and Prime Ministry.
Higher education was an issue occupying Turkey's agenda for more than 20 years, Erdogan pointed out.
Erdogan said that his government had always assumed a constructive attitude during its meetings with YOK and Interuniversity Board that continued for 17 months.
YOK and Interuniversity Board had asked the government to give them extra time to discuss the problems of universities in detail and to learn views of all university personnel, Erdogan noted.
Erdogan said that the draft presented by YOK Chairmanship to the government included the expression that ''this law is executed by the Council of Ministers and YOK.''
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan added that a social consensus was not a consensus between institutions, but of the nation.
The draft law decreases the members of Higher Education Board from 22 to 16.
Under the draft, the Chairman of the Higher Education Board will be elected by the members of the board.
The draft law lifts difference in coefficient between normal and vocational high schools in university entrance exam.
In accordance with the draft, university entrance exam will be prepared, regarding whole secondary school curriculum.
Under the draft, YOK Chairman's and its members' term in office will end when the new law enters into force.
In accordance with the law, the head of the student board will be a member of the University Senate and can vote during election of the rector.
(BRC-AÖ) 11.05.2004