Disagreement Deepens Between Foreign Schools in Turkey and the Ministry of National Education
The ongoing disagreements between the Ministry of National Education (MEB) and some foreign schools operating in Turkey regarding legal status and curriculum compatibility are deepening. According to the Vienna Convention of April 18, 1961, only the children of embassy officials should receive education in these schools.
French Schools Stop Admitting Turkish Students
Charles de Gaulle, which operates under the French Embassy in Ankara, and Pierre Loti high schools in Istanbul have faced legal problems in accepting Turkish students because they are not compatible with the curriculum in Turkey and are not affiliated with the Ministry of National Education. French schools that do not accept the conditions set by the Ministry of National Education have announced that they will not accept Turkish students starting from the 2024-2025 academic year.
German School Also Stops Admitting Turkish Students
Following the French schools stopping accepting Turkish students, the Ernst Reuter School, affiliated with the German Embassy in Ankara, also stopped accepting Turkish students. The German school announced in a note from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs that it would not accept new students with Turkish passports.
MEB’s Approach and Expectations
Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin, pointing to the legal legislation and Article 90 of the Constitution, stated that an international agreement should be made for schools to gain legal status. Tekin stated that they wanted schools to gain legal status by making mutual international agreements with France and other countries.
Criticisms Against Schools in Different Countries
Minister Tekin stated that France displayed an attitude specific to the colonial period, and that French schools only accepted French people and that this attitude was based on racism. Although the majority of students studying in French schools were Turkish citizens, the fact that French schools only accepted French people was criticized.
