'Region Education Directorate fails to understand the issue and our demand at İskeçe Minority High School'
The Governing Board and Parents' Association of İskeçe Minority Middle and High School have responded to the second statement recently issued by the State Education Directorate.
In their response, the Governing Board and Parents' Association emphasized that "the State Education Directorate has failed to comprehend the situation, the issue, and our demand at İskeçe Minority Middle and High School." The statement also expressed disappointment over the Directorate's reluctance to engage in constructive dialogue regarding the school building problem.
The response from the Governing Board and Parents' Association to the press release by the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace State Education Directorate stated:
“We express our disappointment and frustration with the fact that the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace State Education Directorate has not adopted a constructive dialogue concerning the school building issue and the request for a new school building for İskeçe Minority Middle and High School.
Unfortunately, the press statement by the State Education Directorate contains several distortions. Furthermore, their second statement regarding the problem with our school building makes it evident that the Directorate has failed to understand the situation, the issue, and our demand.”
Addressing Claims and Allegations One by One
The Governing Board and Parents' Association addressed the allegations and accusations made by the State Education Directorate in their statement:
1. Our primary and fundamental demand as İskeçe Minority Middle and High School is not merely the improvement of the existing school building but the CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SCHOOL BUILDING.
2. We consider the "Repair and Aesthetic Improvement" project for the existing building as a step toward achieving our primary goal: the construction of a new school building.
3. We reiterate that the current school building is classified as a "Protected Monument," and as the Governing Board, we have already carried out all possible repairs and maintenance within this framework. Moreover, the Directorate’s statement on January 20, 2025, does not mention any extensive renovation or physical improvement but rather refers to "Repair and Aesthetic Improvement."
4. Regarding claims about our school’s annex building, it is important to note that contrary to the Directorate’s claim that it has been in use since 2020, this annex has actually been in operation since 2017. We find it puzzling that the authorities, who expressed concern over minor damage such as a hole in the drywall and student graffiti, do not seem to be bothered by the fact that hundreds of students have been forced to study in substandard conditions for years, with classrooms located in semi-basement floors and a cramped schoolyard smaller than a basketball court.
5. The so-called “state-of-the-art school building” annex has classrooms divided using drywall partitions. Furthermore, our request for prefabricated classrooms since 2019 has been ignored despite repeated appeals.
6. The Directorate has also addressed the issue of rent payments to the İskeçe Vakif (Foundation) Administration for our annex building, despite this being outside their jurisdiction. Their statement contains misinformation regarding this matter. We recommend they conduct proper research to obtain accurate information. Additionally, we emphasize that this is a matter of private contractual agreements between the relevant parties.
7. Regarding financial support from the government to the school’s Governing Board, we reiterate the facts stated in our previous response. In 2024, the Municipality of İskeçe deposited €15,966 into the Governing Board’s bank account in four equal installments (April 25, June 6, October 7, and December 10). These payments were documented and submitted to both the Municipality of İskeçe and the Secondary Education Directorate. Contrary to the State Education Directorate’s claims, no additional or "extraordinary" fifth installment was received in 2024. As of February 3, 2025, no such payment appears in our account.
8. The Directorate's statement highlights government support for student transportation and school cleaning services. However, these services are provided to all schools and students and do not constitute a special privilege for İskeçe Minority Middle and High School. For example, buses transporting students from villages to İskeçe serve students attending all schools in the city, not just our institution.
9. The Directorate claims that the Governing Board has invoked the principle of "reciprocity" regarding funding, arguing that Greek minority schools in Istanbul do not receive such support. We do not claim to be an authority on the policies of the Turkish government toward Greek minority schools in Istanbul. However, we do wonder whether a Greek diplomat visiting a Greek minority school in Istanbul would be allowed to enter, interact with school officials, and discuss school conditions as freely as happens in our case.
The Final Demand: A New School Building
The statement concluded by reaffirming the school’s ultimate demand:
"As the Governing Board of İskeçe Minority Middle and High School, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to working for the benefit of our school. We call upon state authorities to urgently address our core demand: the construction of a new school building."
