‘2 million children deprived of education in Turkey’

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu presided over the CHP's Party Assembly meeting at the party headquarters in the capital city of Ankara on the 98th foundation anniversary of the CHP yesterday (September 9).

"We need to rid Turkey of this multi-organ failure," said Kılıçdaroğlu in his speech there, raising concerns about a series of fields and issues such as the state of the judiciary, education and economy.

Referring to a recent decision to reduce the customs duty for the import of legumes and grains to zero until the end of this year, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said, "Look at agriculture. It is an utter disaster."

Noting that "the durum wheat purchased from farmers in Turkey is bought for 1,800 lira while the one imported from abroad is bought for 2,450 lira," Kılıçdaroğlu asked, "This needs to be asked: For whom is this government working? For our farmers or fpr farmers of foreign countries?"

"The interest that we need to pay for 3 years in 2022-2024 is 87 billion dollars. The State of the Republic of Turkey, so all of us, will pay 87 billion dollars to loan sharks in three years," he protested.

Problems about education

Referring to the policies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in education, CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said:

Education has been torn to shreds. Teachers are miserable. A policy cannot be developed. The decision about education has been given by people who have never taught a lesson in their lives and the people who have nothing to do with education have determined the policy of education. And Turkey is now faced with such a picture.

Kılıçdaroğlu also criticized the recent announcement of President and AKP Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who "broke the good news" that 15 thousand new teachers will be appointed to work in public schools.

Underlining that 1 million 459 thousand children could not access the Internet during distance education, Kılıçdaroğlu said that Turkey needs 107 thousand new teachers, rather than 15 thousand.

Referring to the Presidential complex, he said, "Does the one sitting at the palace have any conscience at all? Our 2 million children have been deprived of education. They are the children of this country. Our 2 million 316 thousand 139 children are the children of poor families".

Kılıçdaroğlu further stressed that there is a need for 43 thousand 627 classrooms across Turkey, briefly adding, "If there is a need for additional classrooms within our municipalities' areas of jurisdiction, they can tell us how many is needed and show us the field; then, we will build the school and hand it over to the Municipality." (DŞ/SD)