MP Ferhat brings Minority School inequalities to Parliament
New Left Party MP Özgür Ferhat addressed Parliament to draw attention to the increasing educational injustices faced by minority schools in the region. Ferhat stressed that education criteria must be urgently revised to reflect the country’s changing demographics. He also criticized the ban on school committee members’ access to minority schools, saying it has created serious administrative and educational challenges.
Class Mergers Creating Chaos in Education
Ferhat highlighted the merged classrooms at Komotini’s 13th Primary School, calling the situation untenable as a single teacher is forced to manage multiple classes simultaneously. He noted the vacant special education posts and added that similar issues persist in Yassıköy and Bekirli minority primary schools. Across Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the operation of 32 primary and nursery schools has been suspended.
“Closure Criteria Must Be Redefined”
Ferhat emphasized that in mountainous areas, schools are being shut down even when they have eight students, forcing children to travel long, difficult routes. He urged the government to redefine the criteria for school closures and class mergers in a fair and balanced way, taking into account current demographic realities.
Outdated and Insufficient Educational Materials
The MP also criticized the lack of up-to-date educational materials in minority schools. He said many textbooks are decades old, and that geography and history books are often missing altogether. Teachers, he noted, are teaching without state support, often relying on personal efforts. The 5th and 6th grade language books fail to meet students’ needs and are deemed unsuitable by educators.
Three Key Questions Raised in Parliament
Ferhat posed three critical questions to the government:
- Why are minority graduates of special education programs being blocked from appointments to minority schools by regional authorities?
- Why are school committee and board members banned from entering minority schools?
- Why are Rhodope’s minority schools excluded from the “Marietta Giannakou” education program, and who is responsible?
Ferhat concluded by urging the Interior Ministry to provide financial support to municipalities for the repair and maintenance of school buildings that are “on the verge of collapse.”
