Minister Tekin responds to criticism over 'November 10' falling during school break: We will be more careful

Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin, during the deliberations on the ministry's 2026 budget, responded to questions from MPs regarding the date of November 10 falling during the school break by saying, "Let me just say that we will be more careful about this in the coming years. I want to state that there was absolutely no ill intent here."

When asked about the number of cleaning staff working in schools, Minister Tekin stated, "Currently, 130,000 cleaning staff are working in our 60,000 schools. Please act based on the information we provide to you."

Minister Tekin spoke as follows regarding the allegations of leaked questions in the LGS exam:

"As soon as we conduct an exam, on the day we conduct it, this is how it is for all exams. Whether it is for ÖSYM or for us, we immediately initiate the necessary procedures if there are any irregularities or violations of exam rules that reach us from the provinces after all exams. We made a statement regarding these events that day as well, and we said: We have opened investigations into the exam in some of our provinces. One of these includes the statement made regarding the allegation that questions were leaked, which has been a subject of much criticism and debate in the public eye. We made a statement regarding this. We made a statement through our official press office.

Look, dear colleagues, I am truly a person who respects criticism. Regardless of who made what criticism about me, including Mr. Özgür Özel, I have not used a rude expression against any of them to this day. However, the issue regarding the LGS is as follows: While there is a manipulation in question that will affect approximately 1 million of our children for the rest of their lives, we have made approximately 13 statements. 'No. Look, there is no situation here that violates exam security.

Despite us saying 'We have taken the necessary precautions,' some people in the public eye and on social media platforms persistently engaged in rhetoric that would darken the future of our children, and I personally referred to them and said: Look, this is wrong. It is darkening the futures of these children. Look, today is World Children's Day. These children will remain under the influence of this lie for the rest of their lives."

"LET ME SAY THERE WAS NO ILL INTENT"

Minister Tekin gave the following response to questions from MPs regarding November 10 falling during the holiday period:

"Let me just say that we will be more careful about this in the coming years. Let me state that there was absolutely no ill intent here. Now, the issue regarding October 29... Let me say something about this as well. Now look, dear colleagues. October 29 Republic Day; regarding the Republic, our constitution says: Article 104, the President represents the Republic and national unity. We, on October 29 Republic Day... Not on November 10. Whoever told you that heard the information wrong. We wrote such a letter on October 29. Now look. Our friends are providing some misinformation here. If you have a problem with the election of the elected president, if you have an issue with that, it means you have a problem with democracy. If we have a problem with the nation, there is nothing more natural than us wanting the Republic Day to be celebrated with such enthusiasm if we want to emphasize that a person elected with more than 50 percent of the vote represents the presidency and that this president represents the national will and national unity.

"WE HAVE STRIVED TO REACH THE LEVEL OF CONTEMPORARY CIVILIZATIONS"

Let me also say this about November 10, friends. We sent a letter to schools regarding the holding of events related to Atatürk in our schools during the week of November 4-8. Then, on Saturday, we said again: Look, schools that want to hold events on November 10 are open to the public, and those who wish can hold events on a voluntary basis. However, when a political party says 'We will hold an event at the school as a party,' this is something we must intervene in. Since 2002, we have strived as much as we could, as much as our strength allowed, to bring the education system in Turkey to the level of contemporary civilizations.

My heart would have desired that we had inherited a better Turkey in 2002. I wish there hadn't been so many problems in 2002. There is something like this: Until 2002, three meals a day were provided in schools, we abolished it. In 2002, all our schools had permanent cleaning staff, we abolished it. In 2002, all schools had security guards. Look, dear colleagues, currently 130,000 cleaning staff are working in our 60,000 schools. Please act based on the information we provide to you."