High school students take to the barricades against the government’s project
Across the country, many teachers at designated project schools have been reassigned. Education unions have stated that oppositional teachers were transferred to other schools, claiming the appointments were based on loyalty to the ruling power. Following the decision, students at high schools in many cities rose up, chanting “Hands off my teacher.”
Appointments made in over 30 project schools, including those in İstanbul, İzmir, Trabzon, Elazığ and Manisa. In more than 30 project schools across various provinces including İstanbul, İzmir, Trabzon, Elazığ, and Manisa new administrators and teachers have been appointed. Education unions state that oppositional teachers were transferred to other schools, arguing that merit was disregarded and the appointments were shaped entirely by political and administrative discretion. It has been reported that most of the reassigned teachers were known for their opposition and participation in boycotts and work stoppage.
According to data from the Ministry of National Education (MEB), 2,300 schools have been designated as project schools, where 79,286 teachers and 5,318 administrators are currently employed. Around 500,000 teachers also meet the criteria to apply for positions in these schools. However, the recent appointments are said to have been made based on political loyalty rather than merit.
Speaking to BirGün, Eğitim-Sen (Education and Science Labourers Union) president Kemal Irmak stated, “Just like in previous years, the 2025 appointments have once again been carried out with a mindset that disregards transparency and the principle of merit. The appointment process for project schools is not based on any concrete, measurable or objective criteria. It is shaped entirely by political and administrative discretion. There is no value given to labour, experience or professional competence, no justice, no fairness.”
Irmak continued: “The appointment policies aimed at turning educational institutions into the political power’s backyard must be abandoned immediately. Equality, justice and scientific principles must be the foundation of education. We cannot stand by while educational institutions are turned into political playgrounds under government control. As Eğitim-Sen, it should be known that we will pursue the legal process against this injustice to the very end. I call on all education workers to join in resisting this unfair and unlawful practice.”
OUTDATED POLICIES
President of the Eğitim-İş (Labour Union of the Labourers of Education and Science), Kadem Özbay, stated: “Project schools are a placement project through which the Ministry of National Education appoints whomever it pleases. Everyone knows they’ve become the address of arbitrariness and favouritism! Rather than solving existing problems in education, the Ministry continues to deliberately create new ones. These project schools, which lack any objective appointment criteria, have turned into a grotesque mechanism used by politicians and pro-government unions to distribute posts and positions at will.”
Emphasising that the latest appointments once again revealed the Ministry’s favouritism and arbitrariness, Özbay said, “It appears that the Ministry of National Education, which has already handed over our schools to religious communities and sects through protocols, now sees itself as the sole owner of all schools, ignoring merit, rights and the rule of law, and becoming the epicentre of injustice. In one project school, although there are three positions and four applicants, no appointments were made for some mysterious reason! Senior teachers, those with PhDs, master’s degrees, certificates of achievement, performance bonuses, and years of service in the same school are being overlooked. Why? We will not stand by and watch your outdated, unscientific and reactionary policies destroy the rights of enlightened and successful educators, divide our students and staff, and degrade our education system. We will hold you accountable for all this wrongdoing!”
A MASS PURGE
A member of Eğitim-Sen, who has over 25 years of experience and works at Şehremini Anadolu Lisesi—having been placed there through an entrance exam—described their experience as follows: “As a teacher with substantial service points, professional experience, and a background in project and committee work, I made 10 choices, with my own school as my first preference. The result was announced as ‘You have not been placed in any of your preferences.’ I filed an objection to the appointment using a petition prepared by my union. We will proceed with legal action afterwards. Alongside me, five other teachers were also not placed according to their preferences. Between 11–14 April, they will have us make new preferences as surplus staff and reassign us to schools based on residential address.
In the appointment process for project schools, everything is done behind a veil, in a murky environment where there are no rules, principles or criteria—no clarity on who decides, on what basis, or for what reason. Even though it’s widely known that nearly all appointment lists are prepared behind closed doors by headteachers who members of Eğitim-Bir Sen and representatives of pro-government unions are, this reality continues to be officially denied.”
DESTRUCTION AND OCCUPATION PROJECT
CHP MP Mustafa Adıgüzel made a statement in front of the Ministry of National Education (MEB) regarding the issue. Adıgüzel said, “The appointments made to project schools are part of a destruction and occupation project. These assignments represent a new parallel structure, and at its head is Yusuf Tekin. This minister, who resembles a broker, is wreaking havoc on the education system. Political loyalty has taken precedence over scientific merit. I call on all education workers and the public to stand up and resist this new parallel structure and demand the immediate cancellation of these appointments.”
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STUDENT PROTESTS IN SCHOOLS
High school students standing in solidarity with their teachers have launched protests across many schools from Trabzon to Elazığ, from İstanbul to İzmir. Students at Kadıköy Anadolu Lisesi chanted slogans to protest the decision, while students at Beşiktaş Atatürk Anadolu Lisesi staged a sit-in in the schoolyard and boycotted classes. At Sakıp Sabancı Anadolu Lisesi, students held a sit-in in the courtyard against the exclusion of their teachers from staff positions.
Students at Şehremini Anadolu Lisesi also released a statement regarding the dismissal of their teachers. The declaration read: “You were always there for us. Now it’s our turn, we, your students, to whom you taught life.”
REMOVED FOR THEIR VIEWS
Students at Beyoğlu Anadolu Lisesi responded in tears to the dismissal of six of their teachers. Protesting the decision in front of the school, they told BirGün: “Our teachers with 22 years of experience have been removed. This will also affect our education. We are 9th and 10th grade students. One of them is even our homeroom teacher. We were placed here through an entrance exam, but such a decision is being made without even consulting us. It’s obvious that they were removed because of their views. All the dismissed teachers share similar opinions. We want our teachers back. We don’t want them to be touched.”
STANDING TOGETHER
Students and alumni of Beylikdüzü Social Sciences High School also protested the decision. In a statement released by students, they said: “We will continue to stand together and tall against every step that undermines the quality of education.”
POLICE CALLED IN
At Beylikdüzü Social Sciences High School, students stated that the school administration called the police, and they reacted against this move.
During protests at Eyüpsultan Anadolu Lisesi, the school administration reportedly locked the school gates. It was also reported that a teacher who supported the protest was assaulted and taken into custody.
Students at Trabzon Social Sciences High School declared that the school’s most successful teachers had been suspended, and called for solidarity with them.
Students at Kocaeli İzmit Muammer Dereli Science High School also staged a sit-in protest in the school courtyard.
CALL FOR MERIT-BASED APPOINTMENTS
Parents of students at İzmir Atatürk High School spoke out against the arbitrary practices, appealing to the public. Halis Çalık stated, “This is a practice that entirely plays with the futures of our children.” Another parent, Hicran Arıkan, added, “As parents, we demand that appointments in all institutions be made within a legal framework and based on merit.”
Note: This text has been translated from the original Turkish version titled İktidar projesine karşı barikatta liseliler var, published in BirGün newspaper on April 12, 2025.
