Ship to serve as ‘floating school’ for quake-hit students

A ship called "Karadeniz Lifeship Rauf Bey" will serve as a "floating school" for students preparing for university and high school entrance exams in the quake-hit region.

The Education Ministry will meet the needs of all quake-stricken students preparing for the exams on the ship that will anchor at Iskenderun Port.

Education Minister Mahmut Özer attended the hairdressing courses and kindergarten classes at the Süheyla Sultan Ship Training Center, which was sent by Karadeniz Holding under the coordination of the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry to the İskenderun district of the southern province of Hatay, which was severely affected by the Feb. 6 quakes.

The "Karadeniz Lifeship Rauf Bey," which will arrive in İskenderun and has a capacity of 2,000 persons, will be allocated to quake-stricken students preparing for university and high school entrance exams, Özer said.

Özer noted that they would allocate the ship only to these students and that the ministry would provide all kinds of logistic support.

"Since the first day of the quakes, we have endeavored to bring our children together in tents, containers and prefabricated schools with the motto of 'continuing education everywhere and under all circumstances,'" the minister stated.

He said that the ministry cooperated with institutions and opened Mehmetçik Schools in 10 quake-hit provinces in an organized manner with the National Defense Ministry.

"With Mehmetçik Schools in nearly 240 tents, all kinds of support are provided to our students. We also visited the exam preparation area in the NATO tent city, where there will be 2,400 students and teachers," he added.