Minister Avcı visited the Turkish Soccer Federation (TFF) Meral-Celal Sports High School which was inaugurated this year according to a protocol signed between the Turkish Soccer Federation and the Ministry of National Education. Fatih Terim accompanied the minister who toured the school which is Turkey’s first ever soccer high school. Terim showed the minister the laboratory, the hobby room and the dormitory of the school. 

Minister Avcı said his government requires young people to receive a good quality education and said they do not want to raise children who are only loaded with knowledge. Pointing to the importance of sports and arts education Minister Avcı said the students should be at the center of the education system and aim to create a system that satisfies their wishes, abilities and demands.

Minister Avcı said “we are creating resources for our children so that they receive and education according to their interests, abilities and potentials. Within this framework we want to increase the numbers of the sports high schools.”

Fatih Terim thanks Minister Avcı: I will never forget you 

National Soccer Team Technical Director Fatih Terim said the teachers are attending to all the needs of the students ranging from their diet requirements to their bone development and gave information to the minister about the photo on the school wall showing the first national team that went to the European Soccer Cup Finals in England between 1995 and 1996. 

Terim said several attempts were made to set up the sports high school until now but they all failed and thanked Minister Avcı saying “May Allah bless you. I am tellimng everyone it was impossible for something like this to become a reality in Turkey in such a short period of time. This is beyond all praise. I do not remember the names of the ministers of education when I was a student but I will never forget your name. If it weren’t for you we would never have achieved this and we would never have had this school.”

Terim said at the end of the first term the students were given two report cards. One was the report card on their academic achievements given by the Ministry of National Education and the other was on the development of the children. Terim said there are 90 students in the school and each class has 30 students.

Terim said “we weant well educated and cultured soccer players, their first job is to receive an education and we want to Show to them that they can play soccer while they receive and education.” 

Minister Avcı was accompanied at the visit by Education Undersecretary Yusuf Tekin and Istanbul Provincial Education Director General Muammer Yıldız.

The construction of the school started on November 23, 2011. It has 24 classes, a closed sports hall. It currently has 90 students.