Turkey - AI in Education Policy

Overview

The "Policy Document and Action Plan on Artificial Intelligence in Education (2025–2029)" was adopted and published by the Turkish Ministry of National Education (Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı, MEB) on 17 June 2025. The plan establishes a national roadmap for integrating AI into pre‑school, primary, secondary and selected vocational education settings and defines system-level priorities for ethics, pedagogy, infrastructure, and governance. The policy contains four strategic goals, 15 policy directions and 40 action items apportioned across short, medium and long term implementation windows. The Ministry names the General Directorate of Innovation and Educational Technologies (YEĞİTEK) as the coordinator for monitoring and reporting. The primary public announcement and the English translation are available from the Ministry and YEĞİTEK; see the Ministry notice and the downloadable English version for the full text and annexes (MEB press release and official English PDF).

Definitions

The policy sets out working definitions used throughout the document for terms such as "artificial intelligence in education" (AI tools and systems used to support teaching, learning, assessment and management), "learning analytics" (the collection and analysis of learners' digital traces to inform instruction), "AI literacy" (competences required by educators and learners to use AI safely and effectively), and "ethical review" (procedures to assess compliance with legal, privacy and ethical norms). These definitions align with the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and with commonly used international definitions to ensure interoperability with partner institutions and vendors.

Governance and Institutional Framework

The policy establishes a multi-layer governance structure. YEĞİTEK is the central coordinator for implementation oversight and periodic reporting and will chair the monitoring mechanism. The Talim ve Terbiye Kurulu (Board of National Education) is tasked with curriculum alignment and content approvals. Implementation involves 12 responsible MEB directorates and multiple supporting units; external stakeholders (universities, TÜBİTAK, industry partners and civil society) are identified as collaboration partners. The plan also mandates creation of an internal ethical review body at MEB level to evaluate AI projects and to ensure ethical compliance. For the full list of responsible units and coordination arrangements consult the Ministry announcement and the English plan (MEB announcement, YEĞİTEK English version).

Key Focus Areas

The document concentrates on several interlocking focus areas: (1) Curriculum and pedagogy — integrating AI concepts and digital skills into learning objectives and syllabi, (2) Teacher professional development — large scale programs to build AI literacy for pedagogical use, (3) Data governance and protection — policies for lawful, secure use of learner data consistent with KVKK (Law No. 6698), (4) Learning analytics and assessment — standards and pilots for AI-assisted formative assessment and dashboards for educators, (5) Infrastructure and digital inclusion — investments in connectivity, cloud and compute resources for equitable access, (6) Procurement and vendor management — vendor evaluation criteria and contractual safeguards, (7) Ethics and accountability — ethical review processes, transparency and explainability expectations, and (8) Monitoring, evaluation and research — KPIs and research programs to assess impact. These areas are spelled out through 40 concrete actions, which include short-term pilots and longer-term systemic reforms to curricula and assessment frameworks.

Implementation Framework

Implementation is organized by defined timelines (short/medium/long term), assigned responsible units within MEB, and performance indicators. YEĞİTEK is responsible for establishing project monitoring tools, central registries of approved AI tools, and technical guidance for schools. The policy calls for development of templates (e.g., Data Protection Impact Assessments, vendor security questionnaires, model documentation checklists) and for central procurement guidelines to ensure interoperability and security. Pilot schemes are required prior to full-scale deployment; pilot outcomes must be reported to YEĞİTEK for assessment before scaling. The plan also requires alignment with the National AI Strategy and coordination with national bodies such as the Presidency Digital Transformation Office where cross-sector resources are needed.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The policy defines a monitoring cycle with periodic reporting obligations. YEĞİTEK will gather quarterly and annual reports on action progress and maintain a central dashboard tracking KPIs (e.g., number of trained teachers, number of piloted AI tools, connectivity metrics, privacy incidents). External evaluation and academic partnerships are encouraged to conduct impact assessments. The plan commits to evidence‑based review points at the end of years 1, 3 and 5 to recalibrate actions and budgets based on performance and lessons learned. Public transparency is supported through publication of summary progress reports and open datasets where legally permissible.

Penalties, Liability, and Appeals

While the Policy Document itself is not a penal statute, it sets administrative compliance expectations and disciplinary routes for projects that fail to meet MEB standards. Remedies include suspension of deployments, termination of vendor contracts, administrative sanctions under applicable procurement or civil service rules, and referral to the Turkish Data Protection Authority (KVKK) for data protection breaches. The plan also establishes internal appeal channels for schools and vendors to seek reconsideration of decisions, and requires documentation to support any enforcement action. The policy references existing laws (e.g., Law No. 6698 on data protection, procurement law and civil service regulations) for punitive measures and legal liability.

Relationship to Other Instruments

The policy explicitly aligns with Turkey's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2021–2025), the relevant presidential and ministerial development plans (11th/12th Development Plan references), and existing education governance instruments (curriculum rules and procurement frameworks). It requires compliance with the Law on the Protection of Personal Data (Law No. 6698) and directs coordination with sectoral actors such as TÜBİTAK and higher education institutions for R&D, standards and workforce development. The document functions as an education‑sector implementation plan that complements broader national AI governance initiatives.

International Alignment

The plan seeks to align Turkey's education AI approach with international good practice and mentions the goal of harmonizing with regional and global regulatory developments (e.g., European AI governance trends and standards). By publishing an English version, MEB signals intent to share practices, attract collaboration and benchmark with peers. The policy encourages participation in international research and standardization efforts and invites cross-border pilot and research partnerships with universities and international organizations.

Implementation Timeline

Sources and References