Lecturers Strike For Second Time

Istanbul's French language teachers from Galatasaray and Marmara Universities went on their second one-day strike yesterday after MICEL, Education and Language Cooperation Mission, introduced a new contract that ended most teachers' working permits by the end of 2013.

In 2009, the French government introduced a new contract for its teachers working under MICEL that restricted their working permits to 4 years.

The strike was performed by 56 MICEL contracted lecturers.

Previously, lecturers were able to resume working in Turkey after the end of their third year. The new contract will end most teachers' working permits by the end of 2013.

New contract risks stability

Eğitim-Sen and its university representatives from Galatasaray University protested on the steps of General Consulate of France in downtown Istanbul.

Galatasaray University lecturers Virgile Mangiavillano, Nicolas Mallick and Eğitim-Sen representative Cevahir Karaoğlan held a press conference in Eğitim-Sen headquarters in Istanbul.

The statement underlined the adaptation challenges lecturers faced in Turkey as a result of the new contract which envisioned compulsory and frequent rotations. It said France's Foreign Ministry implemented the practice without consulting experts which worried lecturers and institutions.

Press statement holders reminded that senator Jean-Yves Leconte submitted an official inquiry to Foreign Minister M. Laurent Fabius on the topic and a response was expected by April 9.

Lecturers demanded the immediate cancellation of the new contract in order to stabilize the working conditions of France's lecturers located in Istanbul.

On April 12, officials from Turkey and France will hold their colloquial task force meeting where the topic is expected to be on the agenda. (BK/HK)

Photo: Yusuf Ali Gümüşlü