Turkish president calls for 'total reform in education'

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish president on Monday stressed the necessity for a "total reform" in the country's education and training system.

"We need to make a total education and training reform," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the opening ceremony of a new complex at the Ibn Haldun University in Istanbul.

He said the Turkish education system is based on passing on materialistic information to children.

"Our priority is to raise our children properly, starting with the family. This requires a total education and training reform. All we need is to raise people who know their values well, and protect their culture and history," he said.

Underscoring the significance of intellectual independence, the president said: "Intellectual independence underlies in both political independence and economic independence."

"Nobody should be disturbed in the search for intellectual power. We expect everyone to contribute to this quest," Erdogan said, adding that Turkey needs innovation that is inspired from its traditions.