New regulation proposal against price hikes in private schools

While the registration renewal fee at a private school was 169 thousand liras in 2023, the increase of this fee to 350 thousand liras for the 2024-2025 academic year sparked a backlash from parents. Parents applied to the Ombudsman Institution (KDK), stating that these increases exceeded the upper limits set by the Ministry of National Education (MEB).

In its investigation, the KDK determined that while the school applied the Ministry-mandated limit to tuition fees, it implemented a 236 percent increase in additional services such as meals, transportation, and supplementary courses. Following this, the KDK stated that price increases and base-level fees for non-educational services offered by private educational institutions should be regulated.

The KDK recommended that the Ministry of National Education regulate the fee increases determined by private schools through bylaws within the scope of audits and limitations. It also emphasized that an investigation should be launched into the school that was the subject of the application.

THE PUBLIC NATURE OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

In the KDK's decision, it was stated that educational services carry the nature of public service and that the administration's authority to audit remains even if they are provided by private legal entities. It was noted that private educational institutions should not view educational services as a commercial activity, as this approach could conflict with the concept of public service. It was emphasized that educational services should prioritize public interest rather than market conditions.

According to Article 12 of the Law on Private Educational Institutions, it is clearly stated that these institutions cannot organize their activities solely for the purpose of generating profit. In this context, it was stated that due to the state's obligation to protect the right to education, the commercial approaches of private educational institutions must be limited.