... The use of Open Source software is to become part of Turkey's school curriculum. The ministry of Education has developed a course to teach students to use and understand Open Source software The Open Source course is part of a 58 million euro plan for 'Strengthening the Vocational Education and Training System' (MEGEP), announced recently by the ministry. To make students aged 11 and 12 experience Open Source, all PCs used for IT-classes in Turkey's primary schools will use GNU/Linux alongside Microsoft Windows. Every time the PCs boot, the user can select one of these operating systems. The ministry of Education has started shipping CDs containing the Open Source operating system and applications thousands of schools. The CDs contain a adapted version of the GNU/Linux distribution Pardus, a distribution primarily developed by the Turkish National Institute of Electronics and Cryptology. The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Tubitak, made a special version the Pardus GNU/Linux distribution. The Open Source course is meant to help students understand and absorb different Open Source applications. The Open Source systems-course is divided in three parts. A student completing all three is able to install Pardus GNU/Linux on a computer, can administer its' basic components and use different tools and applications that run on the operating system. The students are also able to set up an Internet connection, administrate users, install software and manage network services. Students will also be taught basic shell programming. A single course takes 24 hours, following all three would take 40 hours. ... http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/en/document/7276/5974 -- http://www.ellak.gr