BTTÖB condemns closure of Turkish Minority schools: "Minority schools are a cultural asset of this country"

The Western Thrace Turkish Teachers’ Union (BTTÖB) has issued a strong statement condemning the recent closure of three more Turkish minority primary schools in Greece, calling it a violation of the Treaty of Lausanne and a blow to the region’s cultural and educational rights.

In an official statement, BTTÖB President Aydın Ahmet said:

“The Greek state continues its systematic and determined policy of closing minority schools. Hearing that three more of our schools will be shut down just one month before the 2025–2026 academic year has deeply saddened and offended every member of our minority.”

Only 83 Minority Primary Schools Remain
The Greek Ministry of Education recently decided to close schools in:

• Kardere and Mehrikoz villages (Rhodope province)
• Hasanlar village (Evros province)
• Citing insufficient student enrollment as the reason.

Aydın Ahmet criticized these closures as part of a long-standing unilateral approach that undermines the minority’s educational infrastructure. He emphasized the dramatic drop in school numbers:

“Twenty years ago, there were 210 Turkish minority primary schools. That number has now fallen to just 83, with no credible assurance of reopening. The so-called ‘temporary closures’ often become permanent, as seen in the cases of Musa Köy and Hacımustafa Köy. These decisions are not based on goodwill and represent a broader project aimed at transforming the minority — a direct contradiction to the spirit of the Lausanne Treaty.”

“Minority Schools Are a Part of Greece’s Multicultural Identity”
Calling for immediate dialogue, Ahmet stressed:

“These are not just schools — they are pillars of cultural identity and proof of Greece’s multicultural reality. These institutions have always raised law-abiding and loyal citizens. Rather than closing them, the state should work to improve their quality through dialogue with minority institutions and by meeting the standards of modern education.”

A Call to Action for the Minority and Public
Ahmet urged both the minority community and the general public to remain vigilant:

“I invite every member of our minority, and every person who hears our cry, to reflect on the impact of each lost school. If we lose our minority schools entirely, we will lose not just our education but the very foundation of our identity.

Maintaining hope and defending our schools must become the duty of every individual in the minority.”

The BTTÖB continues to advocate for inclusive educational policies, and warns that the current trajectory endangers the cultural and linguistic survival of the Turkish Muslim minority in Western Thrace.