JOHANNESBURG 

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) is impressed with Turkey’s education model and plans to emulate it, a party spokesman said Monday.

“We have realized that Turkey is advanced in vocational and technical training. Their expertise in technical education can help us shape our education curriculum,’’ ANC spokesman Dakota Legoete told Anadolu Agency.

He said the ANC would like to follow Turkey’s model by introducing vocational schools at every higher institution of learning to help equip students with the necessary knowledge and life skills relevant to the economy and world.

Turkey values vocational training and has several vocational schools that train students with the skills necessary for their occupations in line with the targets of the country’s economy and demands of the business world.

“We can emulate what Turkey is good at. They too can emulate what we are good at, as part of our cooperation,” Legoete said.

Vocational education and training plays a central role in preparing young people for employment, developing skills of adults and responding to the labor market needs of the economy.

Good bilateral relations 

Legoete also said the ANC has good relations with Turkey’s governing Justice and Development (AK) Party.

Turkey’s Ambassador to South Africa, Elif Comoglu Ulgen, also confirmed that the two countries enjoy good bilateral relations.

“The Turkish governing party’s relationship with the ANC is evolving in a very positive direction, and this is indeed very good news,” she said via telephone from the capital, Pretoria.

Ulgen said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent visit to South Africa further cemented the good relations between the two nations.

Erdogan visited South Africa in July to attend a summit of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) held in Johannesburg at the invitation of host President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Ulgen said during Erdogan’s visit, he met with some high-level ANC authorities. 

“After these very first meetings, the ANC wanted to follow this up, and we were very glad to host another very high-level visit of ANC members in Turkey last month,” she said.

She said during the visit, ANC officials met with authorities of Turkey’s ruling party and educational bodies.

Ulgen said she is pleased with the growing relations between Turkey and South Africa and described the ANC’s interest in emulating Turkey’s educational model as a breakthrough in the recent history of their two countries’ relations.

During Erdogan’s visit to South Africa, he also inaugurated the new Turkish embassy premises in Pretoria.