'Children's club' scandal in public schools: Private teams instead of state teachers

It has been alleged that some principals are outsourcing the two-hour after-school educational service, which the Ministry of National Education allows under the name of 'children's clubs,' to external and unapproved teams.

The Ministry of National Education provides the opportunity for two hours of additional educational service every day after the final lesson. This service is provided under the name 'Children's Club.' It is alleged that some school principals are having these additional lessons conducted by outside teams after the daily school program and are demanding high fees from parents.

Here is the article on the subject by İsmail Saymaz from Halk TV:

"As you know, primary schools start classes at 8:00 AM.

The bell rings at 2:45 PM.

The Ministry of National Education provides the opportunity for two hours of additional educational service every day after the final lesson. This service is provided under the name 'Children's Club.' In fact, these children's clubs, which are intended for working mothers and fathers, are regulated by a directive. If a school wants to establish a children's club, it must obtain permission from the District Directorate of National Education. It is mandatory for instructors other than teachers to be approved by the district governor's offices.

According to the directive, the following courses and training can be provided in the children's club:

“Traditional children's games, folk dances, fine arts, physical education and sports activities, values education, foreign language, science olympiads, project work, and similar activities that will support developmental areas…”

No less than two hours and no more than six hours of lessons and training can be provided per day. The hourly fee cannot be “less than one-sixth or more than one-fourth of the hourly lesson fee.” If nutrition is to be provided, it can be increased up to one-third. Fees are deposited into an account opened at a public bank in the name of the children's club.

'PRIMARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS CONTRACT WITH AN OUTSIDE TEAM'

26 percent of the income is allocated to expenses, 55 percent to the teachers, master instructors, and coordinator teachers assigned to the club, 7 percent to the club's board chairman, 5 percent to the assistant principal serving on the board, and 1 percent to the audit authorities.

According to the allegation, primary school principals contract with an outside team. This team takes over the school after 2:45 PM and provides private education. In other words, the state's teacher leaves, and a group that has not been approved by the district governor's office or the national education directorate arrives in their place.

Electricity, water, natural gas, and cleaning services are free. The TEV Abdullah Nezahat Erboz Primary School in Maltepe is one of these. The name of the children's club is not mentioned in the brochures distributed to parents; it is simply called a “Club.”

The courses provided in the club are as follows: English, robotic coding, folk dances and modern dance, chess, karate, and gymnastics. Two days and four hours are allocated for English, and one day and two hours each for the others. An annual fee schedule has been set. 16,000 TL for English, 11,000 TL for robotic coding, and 6,000 TL each for the other four courses must be paid. The total cost is 51,000 TL. The fee will be paid in two installments in September and October. The private club starts today.

10,000 TL ANNUALLY FOR ENGLISH

Another one is the Ece Elginkan Primary School in Maltepe. According to the brochure, first graders pay 10,000 TL annually for English, while second, third, and fourth graders pay 12,000 TL.

8,000 TL annually is set aside for drama, storytelling, visual arts, modern dance, and folk dances, 11,250 TL for robotic coding, and 10,000 TL for French. The fee for the study sessions to be conducted by classroom teachers in the first semester has been set at 3,750 TL.

It is required that payments be completed by October 30. The private club at Ece Elginkan Primary School begins education today.

OVER 200 PRIMARY SCHOOLS

There is talk of the existence of over 200 primary schools in this manner. It is a type of private school run by school principals between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM. It is noted that this practice is concentrated in districts such as Maltepe, Kadıköy, Üsküdar, Şişli, Beşiktaş, and Bakırköy in Istanbul.

Thousands of TL flow into bank accounts opened by school principals. Where this money goes is unclear. While primary schools in Sultanbeyli, Ümraniye, and Esenyurt cannot even be cleaned, these primary schools that have opened 'private' children's clubs are swimming in money. A teacher says, “With this money, the cleaning services of all schools in Istanbul could be covered.”