Published on June 8 in the Official Gazette, a new regulation regarding the education system changes the education system more towards the reactionary way of the AKP government.
A new regulation on social activities for the Ministry of National Education in Turkey was published on June 8. The legal regulation in effect that was prepared by the AKP mostly replaces the emphasis on social activities like music, dance, reading and chess with the emphasis on “national and spiritual” values.
Two regulations from 1995 and 2005 were repealed with the enactment of the new one. While previous regulations on educational social activities included planning of activities and contests in acting, music, dance, composition, chess and others, the new regulation does not list any of these fields. Instead, it is defined that these kinds of activities and contests can be organised with a special focus on enhancing the students’ “national and spiritual” values.
It is well-known and has been proved several times that these specific terms have been the keywords representing the AKP’s reactionary policies and practices.
Another change with the new regulation that attracts one’s attention immediately is children in daycare are also included in this regulation. According to the related article on the education of nursery school children ageing from 36 months, these children’s social activities should also be planned by focusing on “national, spiritual, moral, humanistic and cultural values”
In addition to these, the new regulation introduces the term “volunteers” which were not included in any legal regulations before. The status of “volunteer” could well be used as a legal cover to make reactionary foundations and their members enter into schools freely.
Another dramatic change was made on determining the special days and holidays. The new regulation does not include anything on how to plan national holidays. However, July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day, commemorating last year’s failed coup, was added to the special days in the agenda.
