Minister Tekin Addresses Concerns over Potential 1 Million TL Annual School Fees
Private School Fee Regulation Under Scrutiny by Minister of National Education
In a recent statement, Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin addressed the issue of exorbitant price increases in some private schools, with fees reaching up to 1 million liras a year. The Minister emphasized that the regulation allows private schools to give raises to their current students at a rate of inflation difference plus 5 percent, which is 5 percent higher than inflation.
Minister Tekin revealed that a study was conducted with the Ministry of Treasury and Finance to address this issue, resulting in the preparation of a new regulation. Meetings were also held with private school unions to discuss the raise, and inspectors will be taking action regarding the exorbitant figures. The Minister assured that inspection staff will work sensitively on this issue to ensure compliance with the regulation.
Furthermore, Minister Tekin noted that there have been speculations about private school fees and encouraged those encountering problems with fees to contact the directorates of national education. He pointed out that among the more than 11 thousand private schools in the country, only a limited number charge high fees that may cause public outrage. The Minister promised to take necessary actions for those who report such cases to provincial and district national education directorates.
In an effort to prevent cash transactions and unregistered fees in private schools, Minister Tekin warned parents to be cautious and only make payments through official banking services in an electronic environment. Any request for cash or unregistered fees should be reported to the authorities for further investigation, as such practices are not in compliance with the regulations set by the Ministry of National Education.
Overall, Minister Tekin emphasized that the entire private school sector should not be under suspicion regarding the raises, and urged parents to collaborate with the authorities to ensure transparency and accountability in the education system.
