The administrators of Moris Boncuya Special Education Practice School, where autistic students are educated, and the volunteer group working with the students on cycling, folk dances and photography before the pandemic came together and organized the event “Leave Awareness! Make a Difference!” It will be held on April 3 at Ahmet Adnan Saygun upon his call.
Konak Moris Bencuya Special Education Practice School, whose building was built in 2011 and donated to the Ministry of National Education by Moris Bencuya, a businessman from Izmir, went through a difficult period after the main building was damaged after the Izmir earthquake. While the classrooms and administrative staff were moved to Ziya Gökalp Secondary School, the building was started to be repaired.
Ercan Mermer, Director of Moris Bencuya Special Education Practice School, who did not interrupt his education despite the negative effects of the pandemic and earthquake, stated that within the framework of Autism Awareness Month, which started on April 2, it is aimed to encourage research on autism, to increase awareness about autism, and to disseminate early diagnosis and treatment.
Pointing out that one out of every 44 children is diagnosed with autism today, Mermer said, “The point we should not think about is where the increase in autism is so fast, where are we in autism awareness and can we make a difference about autism if we are aware of it? In this process, where we set out with the invitation to 'leave awareness and make a difference' with all our stakeholders, our aim is not only to remember autism on April 2, but to create awareness, but to make a difference in the name of autism, hand in hand, heart to heart," he said.
“Leave Awareness! The World Autism Awareness Day program organized with the call of “Make a Difference” will be held on Monday, April 3, 2023, at 20.30 in the Ahmed Adnan Saygun Art Center Great Hall. In the organization committee of the event, the State Turkish Music Conservatory, Ege University Alumni Association, Cat-Acceptance, Equality, Inclusion, Employment-Autism Association, as well as representatives of the community that have been doing various activities voluntarily with school students for many years.
History of Moris Bencuya
The school, which started to serve in the building belonging to Ziya Gökalp Primary School in 2009 as Konak Autistic Children's School under the General Directorate of Special Education and Guidance Services of the Ministry of National Education, is the name of the philanthropic businessman Moris Bencuya, who undertook the repair of the unused building of Ziya Gökalp Primary School. It started education in 2011 as Konak Moris Bencuya Autistic Children Education Center. In 2018, the name of the school was changed as Konak Moris Bencuya Special Education Practice School, and the staff of the school included Principal, Assistant Principal, Guidance Teacher, Special Education Class Teacher, Physical Education Teacher, Music Teacher, Visual Arts Teacher, Ceramics and Glass Technologies Teacher, Food and Beverage Services. He has a teacher. I., II. and III. A developmental training program is implemented as a step-by-step.