Turkey’s Public Schools Left Behind as Private Schools Flourish, Unions and Parents Sound Alarm

Turkey’s Public Schools Left Behind as Private Schools Flourish, Unions and Parents Sound Alarm

As the 2025-2026 academic year comes to a close, Turkish teachers' unions and parent groups are warning that public schools are being turned into "commercial marketplaces," with rising child poverty and student dropouts deepening the crisis.

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middle eastturkeyhuman rights

A major teachers' union, Eğitim Sen, issued a year-end report criticizing the education system for moving away from science and secularism, stating that schools are being transformed into "commercial marketplaces" and warning that child poverty and insecurity are growing across the country [184089]. Similarly, the parent-teacher association Veli-Der reported that the current academic year is seeing a weakening of public education, with rising child poverty and an increasing number of students dropping out of school. The group renewed its demand for free, secular, scientific, and equal education for all children, arguing that the system is failing to protect students from economic hardship and market forces [183031].

The gap between private and state institutions was highlighted on Monday when education union leader Özbay directly challenged Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin outside the ministry. "We want for state schools everything that your child’s private school has," Özbay said, demanding immediate investment in public education [183036].

Meanwhile, public demands are not limited to education. DBP Co-Chair Keskin Bayındır stated that the most important issue emerging from public meetings is the people's demand for concrete steps from the government regarding the peace process, along with a strong call for the freedom to use native languages and practice cultural traditions [183045].

Sources

Turkey’s Education System: Union Warns of ‘Commercial Markets’ and Rising Child Poverty #184089Turkish Education Group Warns: Children’s Future Cannot Be Left to Market and Poverty #183031Union Chief to Minister: ‘Give State Schools What Your Child’s Private School Has’ #183036Turkey: Public Demands Concrete Steps in Peace Process, Says DBP Leader #183045

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