Erdoğan to the youth: 'I am begging you'

President Erdoğan spoke at the opening of the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Education Complex in the Esenyurt district of Istanbul. At the ceremony, Erdoğan reacted to violence against teachers, pointing to social media and television series as the primary factors behind the violence spreading in society. The President also stated that some regulations regarding screen addiction, which is frequently seen especially in children and young people, are on their agenda.

'TURKEY'S LARGEST PLANETARIUM'

Highlights from President Erdoğan's statements are as follows:

"I hope our education complex will be auspicious. I sincerely believe that the young people who will receive education here will take on important roles in the future. Our complex includes 345 classrooms, 88 laboratories, 33 department rooms, 11 occupational health and safety rooms, and 11 infirmaries.

We are also opening Turkey's largest planetarium in our complex today. It is a source of happiness for me to inaugurate the campus, whose foundation I laid and whose construction process I followed closely. I also thank our nation, which has not withheld its support from us.

'WE APPOINTED 80 PERCENT OF THE TEACHERS'

While the budget allocated to education in 2002 was 7.5 billion, today this amount has exceeded 2 trillion 186 billion, including higher education. While the number of classrooms was 367 thousand 22 years ago, we have doubled this number to 735 thousand. We have built more classrooms than were built in 80 years. We have carried out the appointment of more than 820 thousand teachers. We have appointed 80 percent of the current teachers.

'WE DISTRIBUTED TEXTBOOKS FOR FREE'

Crowded classrooms where 60-70 people studied are a thing of the past. In the period when we were students, there were over 80 students in a class in Istanbul and over 100 in Anatolia. We have reached the figures of developed countries in the number of students per teacher. Textbooks were one of the most important problems for citizens. We used to make an appointment with the stationery store a week in advance to go and get our books. By distributing 4 billion textbooks for free, we have lifted this burden off the shoulders of families.

'YOUNG PEOPLE, I AM BEGGING YOU'

In our culture, no one raises a hand against a teacher. Whether it is a parent or a student, no one can do it. As a government, we are very sensitive about combating violence. We are against the spread of violence on social media and in television series, and we are acting decisively against it. We must protect young people against dangers such as cigarettes, alcohol, and harmful substances. Young people; I am not asking you as a president, not as a father, but as an elder of yours; I am begging you. Protect yourselves from these.

'SCREEN ADDICTION IS SPREADING LIKE A PLAGUE'

We will come down hard on the drug dealers and grab these scoundrels by the collar. Screen addiction, which is spreading like a plague in society, is also at the top of our agenda. We are evaluating various regulations. There is no smoking or alcohol in my life. These types of addictions do not exist at all. Just as I advise my children and grandchildren to protect themselves from these, I advise you to protect yourselves from them."