Education minister backs shake-up at elite schools, rejects claims
ANKARA
Education Minister Yusuf Tekin has dismissed allegations that recent large-scale reassignments of teachers at top-tier high schools were politically motivated, amid protests and criticism.
The controversy follows a significant reshuffle carried out last week, affecting thousands of teachers working in “project schools”— a designation introduced in 2020 for a select group of high-achieving institutions, primarily in Istanbul and other major cities.
The program was designed to pair high-performing students, already admitted through a national exam, with experienced and qualified teachers.
Under ministry regulations, teachers assigned to project schools may serve for a maximum of four years, though the term was extended by one year in 2024. This year, the ministry proceeded with a broad rotation, reassigning many teachers and leaving some without new placements, classifying them as “excess staff.”
Some education unions have argued that the changes were politically charged, claiming that government-aligned teachers were placed in prestigious schools, while a group of educators was “exiled” for their public criticism on social media.
Speaking to journalists on April 14, Minister Tekin denied the accusations, stating that the rotation was a routine administrative procedure.
“Around 38,000 of our colleagues had completed their term. Nearly 80 percent of them were granted extensions. Approximately 6,000 were not. Every school in this country is a place of equal value for our educators. What does it mean to say someone has been exiled?” he said.
He added that the transfer schedule was deliberately announced in advance to allow teachers to make necessary arrangements and avoid disruption.
"In the official list we released, the figure is around 38,000. Yet some individuals are carelessly throwing around ludicrous numbers — claiming 180,000 or 200,000. Where are they getting these from?" Tekin said, challenging the credibility of exaggerated claims.
Tekin also responded to criticism from main opposition CHP leader Özgür Özel, who accused the government of trying to "take control" of elite schools by appointing “ideologically aligned personnel.”
“A political party leader uses the term ‘take over.’ What exactly are we taking over, and from whom? We are the Education Ministry,” he said.
Addressing protests at high schools, Tekin said that the incidents were limited in scope.
“These events occurred in roughly 20 schools across the country. And the majority were not initiated by our students or teachers, but by alumni associations and civil society organizations acting independently,” he said.
