The new curriculum draft for schools in Turkey excludes Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, from the section "National Struggle". While downplaying the role of Atatürk in the National War of Independence narrative, the AKP government includes 15 July failed coup attempt in the draft curriculum. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and government officials describe 15 July as "the second national independence war of the Turkish nation" because of the failure of the coup attempt.
While in the new curriculum draft removes Evolution Theory from textbooks, Atatürk finds lesser space in the new curriculum, daily Hürriyet reported.
According to the draft curriculum, Atatürk will be covered in the life sciences classes taught to first, second and third-grade elementary level students. However, the lesson content is solely based on his birthplace, family members, death place, and his mausoleum, as well as minor information about his childhood and personality, without touching upon his role in the World War I, the Turkish War of Independence, and his republican-era revolutions.
National Education Ministry in Turkey announced the new curriculum draft for school on January 15. After the draft is finalized, textbooks will be published based on the new draft to be used starting from 2017-2018 academic year. The draft curriculum will be open for "discussion" and "contribution" through an online platform until February 10. The online platform will enable people to "contribute", apart from classes on “religion and morality".
