YKS privilege for AKP official's son! Camera footage seized
An investigation has been launched after a student took an exam without identification at a school in Ayvalık. This privilege granted to the son of the Ayvalık District President of Eğitim Bir Sen has drawn public backlash.
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In an incident that took place on June 22, 2025, at the Ayvalık Cumlu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, a criminal complaint was filed regarding the son of Mustafa Kurtuluş, the Ayvalık District President of Eğitim Bir Sen, taking the exam without identification.
According to the report in Sözcü, Oğuz Özat, Chairman of Eğitim Gücü Sen, made the following statement regarding the matter:
“The Ayvalık District Police Department and the Ayvalık Chief Public Prosecutor's Office have seized the camera footage from the school where the exam was held. In Antalya, a female student was not allowed to take the exam because she could not remove her earring, even though she arrived on time. Another student had a traffic accident in Aksaray while trying to make it to the YKS. She lost her mother. Although she was brought to the exam hall while injured, she was not allowed to take the exam because she was 1 minute late. Tens of thousands of young people were not allowed to take the exam because they did not have their ID. They lost 1 year. Ayvalık District National Education Directorate Branch Manager and Eğitim Bir Sen Ayvalık District President Mustafa Kurtuluş abused his duty and authority. Vedat Mazgal, the building supervisor at the high school where Kurtuluş’s son was to take the exam, allowed this child to take the exam without identification. When other proctors objected to this situation, he said, ‘The entire responsibility is mine, I received approval from the ÖSYM official.’”
Oğuz Özat also shared the details of the incident:
“The candidate’s father, manager Mustafa Kurtuluş, identified himself to the police officers on duty at the school at 10:22 as a Branch Manager in the National Education Directorate and entered the school garden. He handed his child’s passport to the exam building supervisor Vedat Mazgal through the window. We have verified the accuracy of the incident. We have filed a criminal complaint. Balıkesir Provincial Director of National Education Murat Demir, who should have taken action regarding the scandal, went to Ayvalık 2 days after the YKS as if nothing had happened, took the main protagonist of the scandal, Mustafa Kurtuluş, with him, visited schools, and posed for photos.”
While this incident raises serious questions about exam security and the principles of equality, it is awaited with curiosity what steps the authorities will take.