AKP and the General Staff arent Democratic

Associate Professor Doctor Hayri Kozanoglu from the Marmara University said the Higher Education Board (YOK) should be completely abolished. Kozanoglu is also the head of the left-wing Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP).

"We are generally against YOK and regulations concerning YOK," said Kozanoglu. "YOK harbors the pressure and cruelty of the September 12 period and we want it to be abolished. The university system should be completely restructured."

Higher board with university components

"Universities should be independent of religion, state or capital," said Kozanoglu, who talked about the discussions about the new YOK law. "Universities should be formed of academics, students and employees."

Kozanoglu said YOK should be abolished and the university system should be planned by a higher board comprising university components." The higher board should determine how many students from which vocational schools to which departments the university would admit. There should be such a link between higher education and the higher board," he said.

"Everyone has the right to change the path of their life"

"Religious high schools should accept students according to the need for imams and preachers," said Kozanoglu.

Kozanoglu objected to the idea of granting privilege to graduates of religious and vocational high schools. Nevertheless, Kozanoglu said students who are successful in university exams should be able to study in a field other than their own.

"Everyone has the right to change the path of their lives at any point," said Kozanoglu. "If a students, who studied at a religious high school with his or her family's force, should not be prevented if he or she would like to study medicine."

"AKP and the General Staff are not democratic"

Kozanoglu criticized the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the General Staff for not being democratic. He said the Education Staffers Association "missed the basics of the issue." Kozanoglu said:

* AKP's attempt to amend the education system without any regulation on YOK's presence is a political move. The fact that university components did not discuss the issue and the parliament passed it with a 35 percent majority is not democratic.

* Criticizing AKP for not stepping back after the statement by the General Staff is also against our understanding of democracy.

* I don't like the fact that the education bill led to a debate on secularism. (BB/YS/EA/YE)