MINISTER PLEDGES RESPONSE TO WAVE OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE
The education minister described a wave of lethal violence in schools as a “sickness” and suggested social media is to blame.
Analysis
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CRITICS QUESTION TURKEY'S RECORD PISA RESULTS
The Education Ministry hailed the latest educational achievement results as a 'historic success,' reporting that the nation became the fastest-climbing OECD country across all subjects, surpassing average scores in the 2025 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) assessment of science and reading.
BAN FOR ACADEMICS ON ONLINE MONETIZATION
The Higher Education Council (YÖK) has effectively barred academics at public universities from monetizing content on YouTube and digital platforms, classifying online revenue as commercial trade, which is illegal for civil servants.
EDUCATION MINISTER SPARKS ROW OVER INDEPENDENCE AND OTTOMAN LEGACY
Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, no stranger to controversy, has provoked a backlash after announcing a change to the newly updated national school curriculum that renames the War of Independence.
KURTULUŞ PARK BECOMES SITE OF NEW HUNGER STRIKE, NOW WITH TEACHERS
Teachers have begun hunger strikes in a central Ankara park after encountering violent treatment from the police during protests outside the Education Ministry.
SHOW OF FORCE IN THE AEGEAN
The government prepares Blue Homeland bill, the TAF conducted Efes-2026, the Education Ministry used the term the Sea of Islands.
TWO SCHOOL SHOOTINGS IN 24 HOURS RAISE URGENT QUESTIONS ON CHILDHOOD VIOLENCE
While mass school shootings remain rare in Turkey, the back-to-back attacks in Şanlıurfa and Kahramanmaraş have intensified calls for the resignation of Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, as discussions on the increasing violence in education system have come under scrutiny.
REPORT IS COMPLETE, ALL EYES NOW ON LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR
The parliamentary commission established to prepare a roadmap for resolving the Kurdish issue, in line with the PKK’s decision to dissolve, has completed its six-and-a-half months of work. Attention has now shifted to how the ruling parties will time the legislative steps. The report falls short of defining the Kurdish issue or calling for education in Kurdish, but instead stresses the brotherhood between Turks and Kurds. Now questions remain about the timing of the legislative process. The first legislative steps are expected toward the summer rather than Newroz, and it is unclear whether all the legislative steps addressed in the report will be completed this year.
SECULARISM DEBATE HEATS UP AHEAD OF RAMADAN
Turkey has once again been drawn into a debate over secularism after Education Minister Yusuf Tekin issued a circular instructing schools to organize Ramadan-themed activities, including the preparation of a “Ramadan checklist” for students.
DEATHS OF CHILD LABORERS SPARK PROTESTS
Authorities arrested 16 young leftists who were protesting the deaths of child laborers, many linked to MESEM, Vocational Training Centers run by the Education Ministry.
INEQUALITY WIDENS ACROSS TURKEY
The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) has released for the first time socio-economic status data at the provincial and district levels, based on 2023. Covering more than 26 million households, the study highlights sharp inequalities across Turkey, measuring income, education, and occupation.
CHEATING ALLEGATIONS MAR 2025 HIGH SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAM
Allegations of widespread cheating in Turkey’s national High School Entrance Exam (LGS) have triggered a political storm, with opposition figures accusing the Education Ministry of negligence and a cover-up, while Minister Yusuf Tekin has forcefully rejected the claims, using inflammatory language to discredit critics. More than a month after the exam, a senior official from the ministry has been dismissed.