Management of one of the few rooted educational institutions in Turkey providing education in German, İstanbul Erkek Lisesi (İstanbul Male High School) put a ban on new year’s celebrations at school. German teachers in the school received an e-mail where they were asked to not put up decorations and to not mention new year in lessons. The ban received reaction from Germany.

New year celebrations banned by management of a German school in Turkey

DEMET SARGIN

After İstanbul’s District Directorate of National Education of Bahçelievler sent a written message to schools in the district, demanding for ‘new year’s activities that would lead students to behave in an undesirable manner’ to be avoided, a similar message was sent from management of İstanbul Male High School to its teachers.

According to the reports of DPA, German teacher at the high school were asked to avoid activities related to new year’s, such as decorations, lighting of pine trees, parties, concerts, and the lie. Teachers were also asked to not talk about new year’s in lessons.

Ban was criticized by Germany

The ban received criticism from Germany… Though financed mainly by Germany, the school is managed by Turkish citizens in accordance with current regulations. Therefore, school’s principal was appointed directly by Turkey’s Ministry of National Education, rather than the high school’s foundation…

Students of this school had also held a demonstration against their principal earlier in June this year, by turning their backs against him while he was giving the end of the year speech. This protest against ‘project schools’ had then spread across Turkey…

Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/almanca-egitim-veren-lisede-yilbasi-yasagi-139981.html