Kathimerini highlights contradiction: Support for Greek Minority Schools in Istanbul, obstacles for Turkish Minority Schools in Western Thrace
Greek daily Kathimerini published a striking report on September 13, 2025, pointing out a clear contrast between Türkiye’s approach toward Greek minority schools in Istanbul and Greece’s handling of Turkish minority schools in Western Thrace.
The article, co-authored by Lina Giannarou and Manolis Kostidis, praised Türkiye’s supportive stance toward preserving minority schools despite shrinking student numbers, while criticizing Greece for closing down schools belonging to the Turkish minority in Thrace.
One of Istanbul’s oldest Greek educational institutions, the Megali tou Genous Scholi (Great School of the Nation) in Fener, failed to register new students this year. According to Kathimerini, there are currently only 302 students enrolled across all Greek schools in Istanbul, yet both school administrators and Turkish officials emphasized their determination to keep the schools alive.
The report noted that Turkish authorities have responded positively to the educational demands of the Greek community, particularly in Gökçeada and Istanbul. Kostidis further wrote that modernization projects for Greek schools have been facilitated by Turkish officials, with additional support from Greek government bodies and institutions.
However, in the second part of his report, Kostidis turned to Western Thrace, sharply criticizing Athens for refusing to reopen a minority elementary school in the village of Mizanli (Palios Zigos), near İskeçe, despite sufficient student numbers.
“As a member of the Greek minority in Istanbul, I am saddened,” Kostidis wrote. “When I read that the minority school in Mizanli was not allowed to reopen despite meeting the required number of students, I felt disappointment. There may be bureaucratic reasons, but these can be overcome. The special status of minority schools should not be ignored, and a constructive approach is needed.”
Millet's opinion
This comparison underscores a stark reality: while TürkiyeF continues efforts to sustain the educational institutions of its Greek Orthodox minority, Greece has been accused of systematically shutting down Turkish minority schools in Western Thrace.
The Turkish minority in the region has long faced an education crisis, with schools being closed and new student registrations restricted. As Kathimerini’s own correspondents note, this double standard has become increasingly difficult for Greece to justify.
