Ministry launches investigation into private schools: Letter sent to 81 provincial governorships regarding 'exorbitant price hikes in private schools'

The Ministry of National Education (MEB) has begun closely monitoring reports in the media regarding some private schools charging parents exorbitant prices for books, stationery, and other educational materials, as well as complaints reaching the Ministry.

A letter regarding "exorbitant price hikes in private schools" was sent to the governorships of all 81 provinces, signed by Fethullah Güner, the Director General of Private Education Institutions.

The letter recalled the provision in the Private Education Institutions Law No. 5580, which states: "Institutions cannot organize their activities solely for the purpose of making a profit. However, they may generate income to improve the quality of education in line with the goals of Turkish national education and to make investments and provide services that will offer opportunities and possibilities for development."

PROVISIONS IN THE LEGISLATION

The letter, which noted that the Private Education Institutions Regulation also contains a provision stating that "student and trainee fees shall be determined according to the educational opportunities they specify they will provide in special contracts to be made with parents or trainees, investments and services that will allow for their development, and other operating expenses," pointed to the following articles in the legislation:

"However, when determining the tuition fee for intermediate grades of schools, the fee announced in the previous academic year is taken into account, and when determining the tuition fee for students continuing at the school, the fee determined in the student enrollment contract is taken into account; and these fees cannot be increased by more than the rate of [(average domestic PPI of the previous year + average CPI of the previous year)/2]+5. For students who enroll during the academic year, the tuition fees for the following year are determined based on the tuition fee announced for the year they enrolled, and for students whose discount conditions for the year they are studying are no longer valid, the tuition fees for the following year are determined by increasing the non-discounted fee from the year the student enrolled in the school by the rate specified in this paragraph for each year they have studied."

The Ministry's letter also emphasized that the relevant legislation includes a provision stating that private education institutions shall separately determine the fees they will charge students or trainees for "meals, breakfast, transportation, boarding/dormitory, books-stationery, uniforms, tutoring, and similar services" by the end of May, and that these services will be utilized by parents who request them.

'PRIVATE EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS CANNOT ACT SOLELY FOR PROFIT'

The same legislation also recalled the information that the provision "It is essential that textbooks approved by the Ministry be taught" is established in private schools.

The letter sent by the Ministry to the governorships included the following statements regarding the matter:

"As can be understood from the legislative explanations, private education institutions cannot act solely for profit in educational activities, which are a basic public service. In addition to having to make the tuition fee increases they will determine for the education and training services they will offer within the framework of the limits set by the state, private schools cannot allow exorbitant increases in the prices of natural elements of the education and training process, such as books and stationery products related to educational activities.

'AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN LAUNCHED'

Follow-up and inspections will be carried out for institutions that act contrary to the laws and regulations in accordance with the provisions in Article 7 of the Private Education Institutions Law. In this context, our Ministry has launched an investigation into schools that do not enter fees in accordance with the legislation on time and that continue their activities solely to make a profit."

The Ministry requested that the matter be immediately announced to private schools operating across all 81 provinces, that sensitivity be shown to the implementation of price policies within the framework of the rules determined by the Ministry, that investigations be conducted regarding schools that do not act in accordance with the issues conveyed in the letter, and that the General Directorate be informed of the results.