ANKARA- DEM Party Co-spokesperson for Education Policies İlknur Birol pointed to the problems in the field of education and stated that millions of children are deprived of the right to education in their mother tongue because no steps have been taken despite the process.
Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party Education Policies Commission, Children's Commission and Language, Culture and Art Commission held a press conference at the party's Headquarters regarding the problems and solution proposals in the field of education due to the start of the 2025-2026 academic year.
Making a statement on behalf of the commissions, DEM Party Education Policy Co-spokesperson İlknur Birol emphasised that when the education system in Turkey is evaluated, the picture is not encouraging. İlknur Birol noted that there are inequalities based on class and identity in the background of this picture, and that this inequality has deepened even more with the AKP government.
İlknur Birol stated that the 12-year compulsory education, which came into force with the AKP's 4+4+4 formula, was opened to discussion with the pressure of business circles, and pointed out that the demands of some employer associations were to attract children to the labour market at an early age. İlknur Birol noted that the exploitation of child labour is deepened for this reason and stressed that an education system in which children are condemned to work murders is unacceptable.
'MILLIONS OF CHILDREN DEPRIVED OF MOTHER TONGUE EDUCATION'
İlknur Birol stated that mother tongue education is one of the most chronic problems in the field of education and that this problem stems from the fact that the mother tongue has not been recognised as a right in Turkey for years. İlknur Birol pointed out that one of the most critical topics in the new period with the Call for Peace and Democratic Society is the right to education in one's mother tongue, and noted that the existence of a democratic society in an equal and free climate depends on the recognition of this right.
She said: "Today, millions of Kurdish children start school deprived of their right to education in their mother tongue. A society of peace can be built on the principle of the broad benefit of society, not the narrow benefit of politics. The education system is also shaped accordingly. Unfortunately, with the opening of the 2025 academic year, millions of children, especially Kurdish children, will continue to be deprived of the right to education in their mother tongue."
İlknur Birol emphasised that DEM Party will fight for equal, free, healthy and safe education for children and said: "We will continue to defend the right to education in a democratic, libertarian, secular, scientific, public, gender-liberal and ecological framework that covers all segments of society."