Teachers who wrote letters to the Ministry of National Education as part of the campaign organized by PTT Inc., affiliated with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, in 1998, recall the educational conditions at that time.
Past Challenges
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- Schools without heating
- Classrooms where vermin run rampant
- Teachers suspended from duty due to headscarf bans
- Situations where upper grades take the classes of lower grades due to lack of teachers
Challenges for Teachers
Some teachers included the following statements in their letters regarding issues such as housing problems, difficult physical conditions, and inequality of educational opportunities:
- “I didn’t even have a house to shelter in. I had a hard time struggling with mice and the cold in a lodge with no toilet, bathroom or kitchen.”
- “With the encouragement of private schools, class differences became apparent at a young age. The absence of vocational high schools and the economic difficulties of teachers caused major problems.”
Contemporary Education Opportunities
There has been a major transformation in education today. In schools where computers could not be installed in the past, there are now smart boards, laboratories and gyms. Class sizes are reduced and students are offered a better education opportunity.
Teachers’ Wishes
- “I hope that problems like the headscarf will not occur after 21 years. I hope that the state will support unity in a society where people from all walks of life are integrated.”
- “I want free education. “I expect tolerance in terms of dress.”
