Deputy Governor Irfan Hacıgene criticizes decision on Mizanli Primary School
Deputy Governor of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Irfan Hacıgene, has strongly criticized the decision not to reopen the primary school in the village of Mizanli, İskeçe.
Hacıgene noted that although 10 children in the village are eligible to attend, the school will remain closed under the 2025–2026 academic year plan of the Regional Directorate of Primary and Secondary Education. He described the move as an unfair measure that deeply concerns the local community.
Parents and residents fear that children will now be forced to travel to other areas for schooling, adding significant strain to daily family life.
Emphasizing that the issue goes beyond education alone, Hacıgene warned of broader social and cultural consequences:
“Keeping the Mizanli school closed raises questions about the protection of minority rights and threatens social cohesion in Thrace’s border regions. The closure of small schools leads to depopulation of villages and weakens the social fabric.”
Calling for the decision to be reconsidered, he added:
“Education cannot be measured by numbers alone. It must be based on the real needs of local communities. Equal access to education for all children is essential both for fairness in education and for the sustainable development of rural areas.”
