The protests of high school students against corrupt and non-scientific education system

Before the news, I have to tell firstly how is the education system right now in Turkey, and how was it before?

In Turkey, with the governments of AKP (Tayyip Erdogan political and power party in Turkey), education system has been crashing down day by day during last 10 years.

At Turkey, the high schools are sperated into 6 groups according to their levels. These are;

“Regular high schools” which are providing basis education(every graduated form secondary school can go on without test to them)

“Vocational high schools” for to access to the profession of vocation from basis with a test score (not necessary the high test score)

“Anatolian high schools” the graduated from secondary school can go on these schools with high test score

“Science high schools” and then again graduated from secondary school can go on these with very high test score

“Private or fee paying high schools” the students have to pay the high moneys for them

and there is another one “Religious vocational high school” in Turkish “Imam Hatip high schools”, they give religious education in the forefront. Tayyip Erdogan always mention with proud that he graudated from “Imam Hatip high school”

Actually, their first aim is to educate students for mosques as imam; so staff muslim religious men for mosques. The second aim is “religion teacher” (there is a religion lesson in high schools at Turkey, a hour for a week)

Until 3 years ago, the numbers of high schools in Turkey were like that,

The most common ones were regular high schools. Almost every two neighborhoods had one “regular high school.”

This means that for example about 3 million population city of Turkey, there were nearly 50 “regular high school”.

Every three county had one “vocational high school”.

It means that again for 3 million population city of Turkey, there were nearly 10 “vocational high school”

Every four county had one “Anatolian high school”,

For 3 million population city of Turkey, there were 7-8 “Anatolian high school”

Every city had one or three “Science high school” (according to their population)

1 or 3 “Science high school” at the same population city

And every city had one or three “Religious vocational high school” so “Imam Hatip high school”

1 or 3 again “Imam Hatip high school” at the same population city

Right now, with changes made in the laws of the AKP government, their numbers have become in this shape like that:

“Regular high schools” number are very few anymore, because of the AKP government’s laws most of these schools turned into “Imam Hatip high schools” at the rate of 80%; and turned into “vocational high school” at the rate of 15 % ; and turned into “Anatolian high school” at the rate of 5 %.

While a city of 3 million population had 50 “regular high school” three years ago, now same city has max 5 “regular high school”

Please it wouldn’t be understood that Anatolian high school numbers were increased from my upper words, “regular high schools turn into Anatolian high schools at the rate of 5 %.” Becuase their numbers are still stabilize because some of Anatolian high schools turned into “Science high school”.

And same again, please it wouldn’t be understood that Science high schools numbers were increased.  Because some “Anatolian high schools” were turned into “Science high schools”.

Becuase the most pity one into the high schools has been the “Science high schools” which were the best high schools at Turkey. And maybe you will not believe in, but some of them are being turned into “Imam Hatip Science high schools” !!! Yes, religion and science in this age!

What a complicated mess over education system, isn’t it!

AKP wants to destroy the secular education system totaly, with increasing Imam Hatip high schools.

Deputy of the minister at the period had already stated as follows:

“As the ministry, we increased the number of Imam Hatip high school from number of 440 in 2002-2003 to number of 1017 in 2014-2015”

The AKP government not only made changes on the school system. In addition, with it’s “Ministry of Education” and AKP bureaucracy that AKP is doing pressure the schools which are not related with religious education system.

For example,

AKP’s Ministery of Education, has assigned the “religion teachers” as the high school principal, the right rteachers who gained this title were banished to the high schools at the cities from very far away where they lived. They applied pressure and intimidation on them. And the teachers who graduated from universities as being school teachers, even if they were able to pass written exam of Minister of Education, they failed at spoken exam of Minister of Education(What a coincidence!). There have been many young teachers have been waiting to be teacher at schools for years (including physics or language teachers). Because of the system of AKP doesn’t accept them as teacher, they work as construction worker or another works at Turkey. And some of them suicided, unfortunatelly. This government hands are covered in with these teachers bloods!

And after this prologue,

If we come to the news,

Some high school students are now resisting against this system with high voice. Before then, and actually still, while their families are protesting the turning the schools into the “Imam Hatip high schools”, the students are making very good protests anymore with freely. Especially during last three years and still, the familes are making protests against this policy of government at almost every “regular high school”. But the mainstream media doesn’t broadcast these news, world public thinks that Anatolian people are accepting every policy of AKP government and Tayyip Erdogan’ policy, like every event!

Yesterday,

Istanbul High School 2016 graduates, (which is Istanbul High School that was establihed in 1884 is one of the very successful Anatolian High Schools for Turkey, not just for Istanbul), while the principal was giving his speech during the graduation ceremony, they turned their backs on him to protest to him.

Besides, they issued a statement.

In general at statement, the students of Istanbul High School mention about the management of the school allow all kinds of unscientific activities, on the other hand, the necessary activities not to be allowed by management for proper training.

And in some places it contained the following words.

“We have seen the darkness and bondage.*

We collected our courage from their captivity. We’ve read to destroy the dark, we did get rid of our dogmas. When we’ve fallen down our brother, our sister raised up us. We know, behind us, we have teachers who watch us. We missed our teachers who were assertive, giving us the strength, trust us, didn’t lock on us, we miss you.

Our sisters and brothers,

If the teachers who are liable with educating to you, they remain in silent; If administrators are writing permission slips as bribe; if scholarships are seemed for kind of hush money, it means that the nightmares collapsed upon on you. Then lift your head from your test books no longer. Get up your beds. Get rid of those nightmares.

Collected, organized, stand up arm in arm; Shout shout shout until everyone heard:

We are in favor of free thought.

We are in favor of democracy.

We are in favor of human rights.

And we will always hold on love and brotherhood to everything.

….

You; the blind boatmen who have seen the murder,* single punch in front of everyone, the intellectuels that the next generations will lean back on you, you will be the savior of yourself without waiting savior. You will be.

Our brothers and sisters,

This force is you. This force has into your vessels and brain. It is you.

Before the mistrals crash down your roof;

Now, you be the sound, the light, the punch!”

At the * parts, it has made directioning to the poem of Nazim Hikmet.

And today, it became another high school protest. This time, the students of Galatasaray High School, also this is another important and historical high school of Turkey, have put an advertisement with the title of “urgently, seeking the new principal” 🙂

At the advertisement, the students say follows for the seeking features of new high school principal:

“Galatasaray High School graduate; who has a good head on the shoulders and compos mentis; preferably 120 higher IQ level; can communicate at a minimum level with young people; protects students more than his seat; has never been a slave for any Sultan, befitting to Tevfik Fikret* position.

Salary: High (civil servant salary + foundation cheque + also we are saving money)

PS: Already, the school is being managed by the students. It is enough if you work from your home and not to screw around with the students”

*Tevfik Fikret is the one of important Turkish poets and graduated Galatasaray High School at 1888 with ranking first in class.

edit: Today, at 6 june, as 3rd, graduates Cagaloglu Anatolian high school published a notice like the other two.

This is a long long way I know, but if there are the students like them on the planet Earth, there is always hope for the future!

My next post related with the “the protests of high school students”:
Those who are ready to turn their backs on the darkness

Quotes and photos were taken from:

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/imam-hatip-lisesi-sayisini-440-tan-1017-ye-cikardik-28069550

http://haber.sol.org.tr/toplum/yandas-muduru-protesto-eden-istanbul-erkek-liselilerden-cagri-ses-ol-isik-ol-yumruk-ol-158146

http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/546020/Bir_isyan_da_Galatasaray_Lisesi_nde__Padisaha_kolelik_yapmamis_mudur_araniyor.html

http://haber.sol.org.tr/toplum/bir-bildiri-de-cagaloglu-anadolu-lisesinden-158358