Southeastern city enforces fines to tackle student absenteeism

ŞANLIURFA

Local authorities in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa have implemented strict measures to combat student absenteeism, including fines for parents who do not ensure their children attend school.

According to a statement from the governor’s office, parents of students who miss school will face a fine of 257 Turkish Liras ($7) per day. If absences persist despite warnings, an additional penalty of 11,977 Liras ($326) will be imposed on the parents.

To promote better attendance, school administrators are required to send an SMS notification to parents on the fifth day of a student's absence. If the absence continues, an official warning letter will be sent to the parents on the tenth day, as highlighted in the statement.

The decision follows Governor Hasan Şıldak's directive to prioritize the issue of absenteeism and take prompt action to enforce compulsory education laws.

The governor noted that the issue of school absenteeism is regrettably one of Şanlıurfa's core challenges. According to Şıldak, around 10 percent of primary and middle school students and nearly 20 percent of high school students are persistently absent across the province.

Şıldak emphasized that efforts are underway to identify and implement effective solutions for educational challenges in Şanlıurfa, which has the youngest population in Türkiye.