High school students' protests yield results, assignments halted: Step back in teacher appointments

Students in more than 30 high schools across Turkey had staged protests to react to the decision.

According to a report by Ekonomim.com, Ministry of National Education sources announced that forced assignments have been halted. However, the requests of those who wish to apply for voluntary transfers will also be fulfilled.

The assignment decisions were met with great public outcry, and while protests were held in many schools across Turkey, unions made statements in front of the Ministry of National Education (MEB).

Minister Yusuf Tekin had stated that the terms of 38,000 teachers across Turkey had expired and that 80 percent of them had their terms extended. Responding to questions from members of the press on April 14, Tekin said that the terms of approximately six thousand teachers were not extended. 

TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS HALTED

According to information provided by Ministry of National Education sources, forced assignment has been halted. The Eğitim-İş Union stated that the lawsuit they filed against the "April 2025 Surplus Norm Teacher Assignment" calendar and their call to the Ministry of National Education had yielded results, noting that forced assignments have been stopped. 

In the union's statement, it was said, "As Eğitim-İş, we had announced that baseless assignments were unlawful without the necessary amendments to the Teacher Assignment and Relocation Regulation, and we had called on the Ministry of National Education. Our lawsuit and call regarding the April 2025 Surplus Norm Teacher Assignment calendar have found a response, and the Ministry of National Education has halted forced assignments for surplus norms."

The statement also included the following: "The Ministry of National Education should not subject teachers who are in a surplus norm position to forced assignment outside of their preferences, as this will lead to loss of rights and grievances. Although it has been prevented for today and forced assignments have been halted, our struggle will continue with the foresight that a similar calendar will be operated by the Ministry in the coming period after the relevant regulation is made in the Teacher Assignment and Relocation Regulation."

Türk Eğitim-Sen Deputy Chairman Orhan Kütük also announced that the Ministry of National Education has canceled forced assignments in norm appointments.

News Source: 12punto