Western Thrace Turkish Teachers’ Union calls for protection of minority schools
The Western Thrace Turkish Teachers’ Union (BTTÖB) has called for the protection of minority schools as the 2026–2027 academic year begins, emphasizing the responsibilities of students, teachers and parents in safeguarding the future of minority education.
In a message marking the start of the new school year, the union stressed the importance of students developing strong skills in both Turkish and Greek, while criticizing the continued closure of minority schools on the grounds of declining student numbers.
BTTÖB emphasizes bilingual education
BTTÖB extended its best wishes to students for the new academic year and described young people as the “future and hope” of the minority community.
The union emphasized that students should develop a strong command of both their mother tongue, Turkish, and Greek, the official language of Greece. According to the statement, proficiency in both languages can provide young people with new opportunities in different areas of their future lives.
Teachers were also urged to approach their work with patience, dedication and care. BTTÖB called on educators to contribute to improving educational standards and quality while helping raise knowledgeable and modern generations who remain connected to their cultural and spiritual values.
The union also highlighted the role of parents, saying that family support is crucial throughout children's education. It encouraged parents to help their children develop a positive relationship with their schools and teachers and to promote reading and books at home.
“It is very important to send our children to minority schools”
BTTÖB devoted significant attention to the importance of minority schools for children's cultural and social development.
The union argued that receiving an education in an environment where children's own culture is present and their mother tongue is respected can contribute positively to their personal development and self-confidence.
It also stressed that sending children to minority schools is important for preserving minority education and the future of the community.
According to BTTÖB, parents are the owners of the schools and have the right to monitor their operation and educational quality through elected school committees.
“We lost eight more schools this year”
The union also criticized what it described as the increasing closure of minority schools in recent years.
According to the statement, schools have been closed one by one on the grounds of declining numbers of children, without taking into account the minority's educational rights arising from international agreements and without consulting members of the minority community.
BTTÖB said eight more minority schools were closed ahead of the 2026–2027 academic year.
The union also criticized the practice of closing schools on the grounds that education is being “temporarily suspended,” arguing that schools previously closed under this justification have not subsequently reopened.
BTTÖB called for greater awareness and collective action to prevent further closures, stressing that the issue concerns the entire minority community.
The union warned that the complete disappearance of minority schools could seriously harm minority identity in the future and called on all members of the community to take ownership of the issue and act together to seek a solution.
