Turkey’s ambassador to Uganda reiterated Ankara’s keenness to support Uganda’s education sector on Thursday.
Fatih Ak was speaking in western Uganda at the Ntungamo College of Nursing and Midwifery, where the Turkish state aid agency TIKA turned over computers, scanning machines and learning materials to support hundreds of students in the region.
“This project in Ntungamo is unique because we are contributing to Ugandan authorities’ efforts to improve the quality of life for students with disabilities in the region. Taking this opportunity, let me underline that Uganda can count on the continued support of Turkey in many fields,” he said.
“The Turkish Embassy in Kampala, the Turkish agency in charge of implementing and coordinating Turkey’s development cooperation policy, TIKA, and Turkish NGOs will keep supporting Uganda, with a focus on capacity and institution building in the fields of education, vocational training, health, agriculture and tourism. In other words, we will continue to support Uganda’s development agenda,” he added.
Turkey has gained fame for its capacity to provide the needed support resonating with the genuine needs of people, especially in the education sector. The support given by TIKA to the educational projects and the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), which provides educational opportunities to African students under the brand of Turkey Scholarships, International Imam Hatip High Schools and international theological programs that have been successfully conducted by Turkey’s Diyanet Foundation for a long time are flagship initiatives strengthening cooperation with the East African country.
According to Omer Aykon, TIKA’s country coordinator for Uganda, the computers will support teachers and administrators to continue working with students, updating lesson content, innovating teaching methods and monitoring learners’ progress.