ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Several hundred Turkish high school students staged protests at more than a dozen high-performing schools on Monday against the replacement of their teachers by what they called political appointments.
The government denied claims that teachers who supported the political opposition had been suspended, while opposition parties and unions backed the students.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
Students at Turkey’s top-performing “project schools” are protesting what they call politically motivated teacher reassignments. The demonstrations reflect unrest among youth amid broader tensions between the government and opposition over education and civil liberties.
KEY QUOTE
“We’re here to take a stand against the removal of our teachers without any valid reason,” said one student in Istanbul. At least a dozen others approached by Reuters said they feared speaking publicly due to possible government pressure.
CONTEXT
Hundreds of high school students demonstrated in Istanbul and Ankara on Monday.
The protests follow a decision not to renew the terms of thousands of teachers at “project schools,” elite institutions that receive extra state funding.
Education Minister Yusuf Tekin said the terms of 38,000 teachers expired, with 80% renewed. He denied any political motive behind the reassignments.
The ministry said the removals were routine administrative decisions, not linked to political views or activism.
Opposition parties and unions say the changes are political and damage the culture of top schools.
The protests echo earlier youth-led demonstrations following the jailing of opposition figure and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
THE RESPONSE
The Education Ministry denied that teachers were reassigned due to political affiliations, calling the decisions part of a scheduled rotation policy.
Tekin urged opposition figures not to politicize schools or incite protests.
CHP Deputy Chair Suat Ozcagdas said the teacher removals “destroyed the educational culture” of top schools and were part of a broader effort to raise “obedient generations.”
WHAT’S NEXT
Protests may continue as unions and opposition parties rally around students, demanding transparency in appointments and reinstatement of dismissed teachers.
(Reporting by Daren Butler and Dilara Senkaya; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Giles Elgood)
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