Schools are a key factor in achieving educational goals. Schools need to be able to adapt continuously to their changing environment, and to the changing needs of pupils, staff and local communities.
The aim of the workshop, organised by the Turkish Ministry of National Education and the ETF in Samsun, Turkey, on 24 and 25 October, was to strengthen vocational education (VET) school capacities for strategic school development in a decentralised education system by empowering local school boards.
Among 77 participants, there were some 50 school directors and five representatives of social partners, as well as the officials representing ministries and provincial authorities.
Four key issues were at the centre of discussion at the meeting:
decentralised governance and the need for school development,school leadership and the expanded role of school boards,quality and accountability in decentralised VET systems,a strategic approach to school development and the development of teachers.        
A wide variety of reforms have recently been implemented in Europe to increase the autonomy of schools.
Soren Nielsen, an ETF expert who took part in the conference, said that Turkey has well prepared ground for school development through several projects financed under the EU’s Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). It is now taking next steps in governance reform, which will introduce wide-ranging decentralisation in education.
‘More work is needed now so that the increased school autonomy, the expanded role of school boards and an enhanced accountability in the VET system results in quality and efficiency,’ said Mr Nielsen. Source; ETF