What does the closure of Turkish Minority schools mean?
The number of Turkish minority primary schools in Western Thrace has been rapidly decreasing, raising concerns over violations of both the right to education and the Lausanne Peace Treaty. Associate Professor Ali Hüseyinoğlu of Trakya University’s Balkan Research Institute evaluated the recent school closures, the underlying reasons, and Greece’s obligations in an interview with AA Analysis.
A Century of Decline: From 305 to 83 Schools
According to Hüseyinoğlu, three more Turkish minority primary schools were closed in Western Thrace as part of the Greek Ministry of Education’s decision to shut down 32 schools across Eastern Macedonia and Thrace for the 2025–2026 academic year.
The decline has been striking:
- 1930s: 305 schools
- 1955: around 290
- 1970s: 280
- 1995: 231
- Early 2000s: 220
- Today: just 83 remain
Causes Behind the Closures
Hüseyinoğlu explained that although Greece applies a general rule of closing schools with fewer than nine students nationwide, the specific case of Turkish minority schools is more complex.
Since the 1950s, systematic state interventions have undermined minority education.
Turkish-language instruction hours have been reduced.
The bilingual education system has been weakened.
The term “Turkish” was removed from school signboards in the 1970s.
A negative perception of “poor-quality education” has been fostered around Turkish minority schools, pushing some parents to choose Greek schools instead.
Temporary Closures Becoming Permanent
Although officially described as “temporary suspensions” for three or four years, schools rarely reopen. Hüseyinoğlu emphasized that, in practice, once a Turkish minority school is closed, it is not revived.
Beyond Education: Identity and Rights
Turkish minority primary schools are not just educational institutions but also central to the preservation of Turkish language, culture, and identity in Western Thrace.
They serve as the backbone of Turkish-language education, given that there are no Turkish minority kindergartens.
Their decline threatens the intergenerational transmission of language and culture.
The closures contradict Articles 40 and 41 of the 1923 Lausanne Treaty, which guarantees minority educational rights and autonomy.
The Role of Demographics and Migration
While education remains the community’s most pressing issue, economic challenges also play a role. The 2010 financial crisis in Greece prompted labor migration among Western Thrace Turks to countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the UK. This demographic shift, coupled with declining birth rates, has further reduced student numbers in rural Turkish villages.
Broader Implications
Hüseyinoğlu underlined that education is the cornerstone of minority survival within majority societies. The closure of Turkish schools, therefore, represents not only a challenge to educational rights but also to the continued cultural and social existence of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace.
