The Education Workers’ Union, Eğitim Sen, has issued a stark warning over rising violence in schools, unveiling a “Non-Violent School Declaration” and calling for structural reform of Turkey’s education system.
The declaration was announced in Ankara during an ongoing protest vigil outside the Ministry of National Education, organised in response to recent violent incidents in schools in Urfa and Maraş. Union members, alongside educators, students, and supporters, have maintained a continuous “life vigil” while demanding urgent government action.
Ahead of the announcement, demonstrators gathered on Yüksel Street and marched to the Ministry, chanting slogans including “No to violence in schools,” “Secular, scientific, democratic education,” and “General strike, general resistance.” The protest drew participation from trade union confederation KESK, political groups, and large numbers of education workers.
Eğitim Sen leadership stressed that violence in schools is not incidental but the result of long-standing political and structural failures.
The union rejected proposals to increase policing in schools, warning that “turning schools into prisons” would not address the root causes. Instead, they called for a fundamental transformation of the education system.
In its declaration, Eğitim Sen set out a comprehensive programme of reforms, including:
• Rebuilding the education system on a scientific, secular, and public basis
• Guaranteeing free, equal, and accessible education for all students
• Replacing exam-driven, competitive models with a holistic system focused on students’ needs and development
• Ending partnerships and protocols with religious groups and private interests in education
• Abolishing programmes such as ÇEDES and MESEM, which the union undermine public education and enable exploitation
• Ensuring secure, permanent employment for teachers and ending precarious contracts
• Providing all students with free meals, clean water, and adequate school resources
• Expanding psychological counselling and support services in every school
• Democratising education governance with meaningful participation from teachers, students, and parents
The declaration also emphasises the importance of mother-tongue education, gender equality, and inclusive curricula that foster critical thinking and democratic values.
The announcement follows a nationwide wave of strike action by education unions between 15–17 April, which saw hundreds of thousands of teachers, students, and parents mobilise across Turkey. According to organisers, the action effectively brought large parts of the education system to a halt.
Solidarity with the People of Turkey expresses its full support for Eğitim Sen’s “Non-Violent School Declaration” and the demands it puts forward. SPOT stands in solidarity with education workers, students, and families across Turkey in their struggle for a safe, democratic, and equitable education system.