The Distance Learning Gate was launched on April 22, 2020, with the slogan "Learning is Everywhere," aiming to reduce bureaucracy in the public sector, utilize human resources effectively, enhance the quality of training and development activities for civil servants, optimize the use of public resources, and within the scope of the Digital Türkiye initiatives. The platform was made available through the internet address "uzaktanegitimkapisi.cbiko.gov.tr." for all civil servants.
Since its launch, a total of 112 institutions have been registered on the Distance Learning Gate, including 16 ministries, 9 presidencies, 4 offices, 79 affiliated, related and coordinated institutions, 2 independent institutions, 1 board, and 1 university. Up to this date, a total of 21,578 participants have taken part in 287 training and development activities through the platform, and these numbers continue to increase every day in line with the needs.
The platform enables institutions to provide common training activities, regardless of time and space to their employees both at home and abroad. The widespread use of live classroom services on the platform is expected to result in significant time and cost savings within the public sector.
Preparations for Training Activities on the Platform by Many Institutions
While the work and employee training continue in the digital environment within the scope of COVID-19 measures all over the world, efforts are ongoing to support the process in Türkiye, to continue the training of civil servants, and to increase the quality and efficiency of services. In this context, various institutions such as the Board of Ethics for Civil Servants, Turkish Green Crescent Society, Social Security Institution, Ministry of Health General Directorate of Emergency Health Services, and Directorate General of Electricity Generation Corporation have planned to provide training contents on "Public Ethics," "Tobacco Addiction" "Effective Communication" "First Aid Training," "Occupational Health and Safety Training," and more through the Distance Learning Gate. Additionally, institutions like the General Directorate of Post and Telegraph Organization, Administration for Turks Living Abroad and Related Communities, General Directorate of State Airports Authority, and General Directorate of Turkish Electricity Transmission Corporation are preparing to provide training activities through the platform.
First Trainings Include 19 Different Topics
The General Directorate of Forestry launched the first training program on the Distance Learning Gate under in-service training activities for contracted personnel. The in-service trainings began on June 26, 2020, with 731 personnel, and they were held for two days a week, from 09:00 to 18:00. Of the 19 trainings organized under 19 different titles, 9 were given to the participants in live classroom video format and 10 in presentation format. Participants who attended live classroom events received their training in an interactive way and were then able to review the trainings later.
The trainings covered four main topics: government functioning, organization and procedures of the institution, professional and personal development, and legislative training. Experts from various departments of the General Directorate of Forestry participated in the platform's training sessions. The Protocol and Social Behavior Rules training was delivered by experienced TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Institution) presenter Zafer Kiraz.
The second stage of the training program began on August 25, 2020, with 2,561 forest range officers being registered on the Distance Learning Gate. Out of the total of 17 trainings in the second stage, 12 have been completed so far. In the third stage, around 1,142 Forest Engineers and other personnel will receive training through the Distance Learning Gate. The General Directorate of Forestry, planning to provide in-service training to approximately 5 thousand personnel through the Distance Learning Gate, has thus saved 15 million liras in its institutions.