Moldova Congaz Süleyman Demirel Turkish-Moldovan High School

Our educational institution, known as Congaz Süleyman Demirel Moldo-Turk High School, was established in 1999 under a mutual educational cooperation agreement between the Republic of Turkey and the Republic of Moldova. Located in the village of Congaz in the Gagauzia autonomous region of the Republic of Moldova, our esteemed school has been in operation for 24 years. It is important to note that our school was founded with the tireless efforts of the former president of Turkey, Süleyman Demirel. While the official language of our school is English, certain subjects such as Romanian, Russian, History, and Geography are taught in the region's official languages of Russian and Romanian. Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics courses are taught in English. As an institution of mutual collaboration, our school appoints teachers from both Turkey and Moldova. The selection of our students is based on academic performance, and this year we have the privilege of educating only 133 bright young minds. Our students study in 5 languages, including Russian, Romanian, Turkish, English, and Gagauz, and graduate from our school knowing 5 languages. Our school consists of 8 Turkish teachers responsible for teaching English, Turkish, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. Furthermore, we have 1 principal, 1 deputy principal, and a Gagauzian deputy principal, alongside 20 teachers from Gagauzia, bringing our total to 30 teachers. Although our school operates as a type of charter school, it is owned by the government. As students progress to 10th grade, they are given the option of selecting Reel, which focuses on natural sciences and mathematics, or Humanitarian, which emphasizes social sciences and languages. Our school is equipped with a laboratory, basketball, and volleyball fields, sports rooms, a music room, and a computer laboratory where students can engage in practical learning. It is our school's mission to serve as a bridge between the cultures of Turkey, Gagauzia, and Moldova, as Turkey recognizes these nations as allies. In addition to promoting positive relationships between the two countries, we also aim to educate our Gagauzian brothers. Therefore, teaching cultural aspects such as traditional cuisine, traditions, and folk dances is an integral part of our curriculum. The best part of this region, where there are students from ethnic backgrounds with limited social opportunities and geographical barriers, is being able to do outdoor lesson activities. It has a very large garden area and the lessons can be applied outside the classroom. This ethnic minority has beautiful traditions and handicrafts that have sunk into oblivion. With the education given in our school, we are trying to keep these forgotten traditions (birth, death, marriage) and traditional handicrafts alive. We make the content part of the lessons in the appropriate courses. If our project is accepted, we would like to present the traditions and handicrafts of this very few ethnic group to our European partners and introduce, develop, encourage, and integrate these talented students into social life. The students of this ethnic minority, who were thought to have come this far by being exiled from the Balkans in history, and who were considered as a kind of immigrants in ancient times and trying to protect their population and identity, always have a shy, timid mood. Socializing these students with the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ program and making them a part of European education and culture are among our most important goals. In the education of their schools, the traces of the strict, harsh, and extremely disciplined approach of the Soviet Russian time can still be seen. Therefore, students are always in a state of despair. We want to bring them to life and enable them to share their outdoor lesson content with their European friends.

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