Male students at Gebze KYK dormitory left to face death in earthquake-risk building

Students at Gebze Technical University are living in anxiety over residing in an earthquake-risk dormitory.

Male students, who are forced to stay in the risky building, are reacting to the fact that a newly constructed dormitory has been allocated exclusively to female students.

The Nilüfer Hatun KYK dormitory was built as an alternative to the dormitory that was heavily damaged in the 1999 Marmara earthquake and which houses one thousand students.

During the 2024 university preference period, this dormitory was announced by various official accounts, primarily that of Gebze Technical University, as a '1,000-person capacity dormitory for both male and female students.'

However, the Nilüfer Hatun KYK dormitory, which was announced as a co-ed facility, began operations as a "girls' dormitory."

Male students, who continue to stay in the earthquake-risk building, allege that various religious communities and foundation-run dormitories located around the university are intervening in the process, and that these religious groups, not wanting to lose the male students staying in their own facilities, are preventing the transfer of male students to the newly built dormitory. While this allegation is frequently voiced by students on social media and forums, one of the religious dormitories mentioned is the 'Hüdayi Dormitory.'

Students remaining in the old dormitory believe they are being left to face earthquake risk.

The Gebze Muallimköy KYK Dormitory was built before the 1999 Marmara Earthquake. The results of the Earthquake Resistance Test conducted in 2018 were not shared with the public.

This building, which is alleged to have been damaged in the 4.2 magnitude Marmara Sea earthquake that occurred in 2019, still provides housing services to approximately 900 male students.

The fact that the new Nilüfer Hatun KYK Dormitory, which was announced during the 2024 preference period as having a '1,000-person capacity for both male and female students,' was allocated only to female students was met with a reaction from the male students.

The failure of authorities to make a statement regarding the damaged building and the fact that male students are forced to continue residing in this building have caused anxiety for both the students and their families.

On the other hand, Gökhan Yavaşer, the Kocaeli Provincial Director of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, visited the dormitory following the reaction of approximately 300 male students and held a conference. However, students stated that Yavaşer answered questions with a sarcastic tone and did not provide a satisfactory explanation.

While it is stated that the new dormitory allocated to female students is operating at half capacity and that second-phase work is ongoing, it is emphasized that the housing problem of the male students must be resolved.

Students have called out to authorities for their right to equal and safe housing with the hashtag #gebzekykcanderdinde (#gebzekykisindanger) which they launched on social media. The anxious students expect authorities to adopt a more transparent approach and respond to their demands as soon as possible to resolve the issue.