Communal Democracy Party (TDP) Nicosia parliamentary candidate Ali Yaman Işık lashed out at the government over shortcomings in the full-day education scheme, teachers' loss of rights and structural problems in the education system. In a written statement issued by his party, Işık claimed that the demands of education unions were being ignored and that teachers were being devalued, saying: "TDP will launch a new era in education. We are ready to take responsibility with our education policies and strong cadres."
Reacting also to Education Minister Nazım Çavuşoğlu's remarks about teachers, Işık argued that teachers and unions cannot be blamed for the failings of the system. Recalling that it is the ministry's duty to initiate legal proceedings if any teacher gives private lessons to their own students, Işık said: "The Education Minister's job is not to target teachers but to carry out the necessary inspections and meet the needs of the education system. The government, however, prefers confronting teachers to solving problems."
Underlining that education and instruction are different concepts, Işık said education goes beyond transferring academic knowledge and includes students' social, cultural and physical development. Recalling that extracurricular club activities implemented in the past contributed to children's well-rounded development, he claimed the current practice has narrowed these opportunities. "The Education Minister, who thinks full-day education has been introduced by cramming students into a classroom under that name, is not even aware that schools are providing full-day instruction, not full-day education," he said.
Işık announced that TDP would gradually expand full-day education, starting with pilot schools whose infrastructure is ready, and that sports, arts, culture and educational activities would be an integral part of the curriculum. Noting that the growing number of container classrooms at schools is shrinking students' play, rest and movement areas, he stressed that some children are forced to eat their lunch on pavements and roadsides. Işık said they would strengthen the infrastructure of state schools and address deficiencies in canteens, sports and social activity spaces.
Also objecting to teachers being positioned as childminders and to unions being excluded from decision-making processes, Işık said: "For us, teachers' unions are key stakeholders with whom we will develop the education system together. Working with the unions in Parliament, we will make the necessary amendments to the Teachers' Law, remedy our teachers' loss of rights and protect their professional dignity." He added that they would also address, within the principle of social justice, the loss of rights and inequalities faced by teachers who took office after the Migration Law and the Single Social Security Law.
Arguing that TDP has the cadres capable of producing solutions in education, Işık said they aim to strengthen public education, ensure equal opportunities and base policy on scientific planning. He concluded: "We are coming to Parliament not only to voice problems but to produce solutions. Our goal is a scientific and modern education system in which every child has equal opportunities and teachers are valued."
