Ministry of National Education launches inspector investigation into Italian High School: Italian principal and vice principal dismissed
Scandals continue to mount at the Istanbul Private Italian High School (I.M.I.), which has remained in the spotlight following a purge operation against unionized teachers in the wake of a historic strike victory. After a 123-day legal strike that ended in a win for the teachers, the school administration began firing union-member teachers who participated in the strike one by one, citing unfair and baseless grounds. So far, 10 educators—including the Turkish Vice Principal, two Turkish Language and Literature teachers, one Mathematics teacher, one English teacher, one Religious Culture and Ethics teacher, one Physical Education teacher, one Italian teacher, one History teacher, and one Geography teacher—have been dismissed without severance pay or on fabricated grounds.
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As the wave of dismissals and pressure on teachers continues, the Ministry of National Education (MEB) of the Republic of Turkey has taken a massive administrative step against the illegalities at the institution.
INSPECTOR REPORT REVEALS SCANDALS
The Ministry of National Education has removed School Principal Giuseppe Finocchiaro and Vice Principal Nida İntiba from their administrative duties and revoked their signing authority. This decision was formalized in accordance with the Inspection and Investigation Report of the Ministry of National Education Inspection Board, numbered 9073/08,10 and dated 11.05.2026.
The comprehensive investigation report prepared by the inspectors includes very serious findings regarding the school administration's abuse of office.
The irregularities highlighted in the report are listed as follows;
Discrimination against Turkish Teachers: The institution's administration failed to organize weekly course schedules fairly and balanced, thereby victimizing Turkish teachers,
Arbitrary Interruption of Education: Classes were ended early on official school days due to arbitrary decisions, and students' right to education was disrupted by these arbitrary decisions,
Unregistered Personnel: It was determined that personnel who are not in the education and training services class, who do not have official permits, and who are employed off the books were being kept at the institution.
ILLEGAL ENROLLMENT FOR STUDENTS WHO DID NOT TAKE THE LGS EXAM!
One of the most striking details in the investigation report concerns the irregular admission of students to the school. The report documented that some students who had not even taken the High School Transition System (LGS) exam were enrolled in the Private Italian High School in complete violation of regulations and official admission requirements.
DECISION TO DISMISS THE ITALIAN PRINCIPAL COMMUNICATED TO THE SCHOOL
Following the documentation of these practices—which disregard educational legislation, official admission requirements, and labor law—in the report, the MEB took action. Based on the investigation report, the decision that School Principal Giuseppe Finocchiaro and Vice Principal Nida İntiba's administrative duties have been terminated and their signing authorities revoked was officially communicated to the Private Italian High School administration.
The dismissal by the MEB of the administrative staff, who were attempting to create an environment of pressure at the school by purging unionized teachers, marks the most concrete step taken by state bodies against the illegalities that were unfortunately escalated after the strike.
Tez Koop İş stated that the struggle is not over and that they will continue to follow the legal process regarding the reinstatement of unionized teachers and the payment of their union compensation.
News: Cenk BAŞBOĞAOĞLU