Circular on school safety with 81! Camera systems to be installed in all schools

25.04.2026 15:11

Security measures at schools will be increased with a circular on 'School and Surrounding Area Security Measures' sent to governorates, police, gendarmerie, and relevant ministries under the signature of Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi. Camera systems will be installed to monitor inside and around schools, and existing security camera systems will be kept operational. Here are all the measures included in the circular...

With the signature of Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi, the circular on 'School and Surrounding Security Measures' sent to governorships, police, gendarmerie, and relevant ministries will increase measures in schools. In the new system, protective and preventive security measures and early warning mechanisms will be adopted as basic principles. Governorships will submit the measures taken and the situations encountered as monthly reports to the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Interior.

X-RAY AND CAMERA SYSTEM

The circular stated: "Within the framework of the School Security Checklist, the physical security measures of all schools (school campus perimeter wall, entry-exit application point, camera system, item control, controlled passage, etc.) and other measures regarding occupational health and safety (fire, alarm, leakage current relay, etc.) will be reviewed in coordination with the provincial directorates of national education, and deficiencies will be promptly addressed.

Camera systems will be installed in schools to view the interior and surroundings, and existing security camera systems will be kept operational."

ENTRY AND EXITS WILL BE PROVIDED THROUGH A SINGLE DOOR

The circular included statements: "Physical barriers (walls, wire fences, etc.) around schools will be checked and deficiencies will be addressed; additional doors that are not mandatory for the entry and exit of students and visitors will be closed, ensuring that entries and exits are made through a single door in a controlled manner. Indicators of violence tendency, threatening language, control issues, aggressive behavior patterns displayed physically or verbally, and risk signs emerging in digital media will be carefully monitored, and early warning and early intervention mechanisms will be effectively operated. Intervention and referral studies for students considered to be in the risk group will be carried out, ensuring coordination between institutions with parental cooperation, and necessary monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up mechanisms will be established. To support students' development and reduce risk factors that may negatively affect them, developmental and preventive guidance activities will be primarily conducted effectively. Studies on strengthening families in children's development will be increased. Digital well-being studies aimed at increasing the skills of students, teachers, and parents against digital risks will be widespread."

PERMANENT 'SCHOOL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER' ACCORDING TO RISK FACTOR

In the continuation of the circular: "According to the updated priority levels of schools across the country considering risk factors, a 'School Law Enforcement Officer' will be assigned to serve permanently in schools with high priority, and a 'Safe Education Coordination Officer' who will be in constant communication with the school administration will be assigned in other schools, and this will be carried out with sensitivity.

MOTORIZED TEAM OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL GATE

The circular stated: "Law enforcement visibility will be increased during school entry and exit times; where needed according to the security priorities of schools, a motorized team or foot patrol will be assigned outside the school garden gate at a point capable of intervention and in constant contact with the school administration. Patrols and inspections will be intensified in blind spots around schools, abandoned buildings, parks, internet cafes, game halls, and routes where students are concentrated. By strengthening the capacity of our cyber units, emphasis will be placed on cyber patrol activities; dangers on the internet and shares made through social media accounts will be meticulously monitored, and necessary actions will be taken against those constituting a crime. To prevent children and young people from accessing firearms or similar dangerous tools, joint studies with school administrations, field inspections, intelligence studies, and risk-oriented practices will be increased; awareness studies for parents who are licensed firearm owners for carrying or possession will be conducted, and the fight against unlicensed weapons will continue uncompromisingly."

All measures to be implemented in this scope are as follows:

1. In planning security measures at and around schools, a risk analysis-based approach will be taken as a basis, and the effective coordination of protective and preventive security measures and early warning mechanisms will be applied as a basic principle.
2. Coordination based on continuous and rapid information sharing will be ensured among school administration, law enforcement forces, local administrations, health, and social service units.
3. Security planning will not be limited to physical measures alone; it will be built on a multi-layered structure encompassing physical security, human factors (students/staff/parents), digital environment (social media and cyber space), and institutional processes.
4. To identify potential risks before they occur, process modeling will be adopted; in cooperation with school administrations, violent behavior changes and social adaptation problems, as well as risks that social media threat content may create, will be evaluated as early warning indicators.
5. Not only physical but also psychological security of students will be protected; the activeness of guidance and psychological support systems against peer bullying, exclusion, violence tendency, and traumatic situations will also be part of the safe school approach.
6. Regular monitoring and evaluation of threats that may arise through social media and digital platforms, radicalization tendencies, and imitative behaviors will be part of the security approach.
7. Security plans and risk classifications will be dynamically structured and periodically updated in line with new threat types, incident analyses, and field data.
8. School security will be planned considering the dynamic nature of security risks based on the analysis of events occurring at school physical spaces and their surroundings, and trends of different threat types (radicalization, exclusion, psychiatric disorders, etc.).
9. The physical security of school spaces and their surroundings will be classified within the framework of two main responsibility areas, 'school interior areas' and 'school external environment areas,' based on the physical measures to be applied, and security measures specific to these areas will be planned and implemented separately.
10. Measures will be developed to involve parents, teachers, and students as active stakeholders of the security system."

The physical security measures to be increased regarding the issue are as follows:

1. Inspections regarding the requirement that places open to the public such as coffeehouses, cafés, bars, electronic game centers, and places where alcoholic beverages are sold openly must be at least 100 meters away from school buildings, door to door, will be increased.
2. Patrol activities in park areas around schools will be increased; especially for those risky in terms of drug use and different types of crimes, security camera and lighting systems will be installed under the coordination of law enforcement units and in cooperation with local governments.

Increased law enforcement measures and inspections:

1. Considering the risk factors of schools nationwide and according to updated priority levels, a "School Law Enforcement Officer" shall be assigned to serve permanently at high-priority schools, while a "Safe Education Coordination Officer" in constant communication with the school administration shall be assigned to other schools, maintaining due diligence.
2. Law enforcement visibility shall be increased during school entry and exit times; if needed based on security priorities, a motorized team or foot patrol shall be assigned outside the school gate at a point in continuous contact with the school administration and capable of intervention.
3. Patrols and inspections shall be intensified around blind spots, abandoned buildings, parks, internet cafes, gaming halls, and routes with high student density near schools.
4. Our cyber units' capacity shall be strengthened, cyber patrol activities shall be emphasized, dangers on the internet and social media shares shall be diligently monitored, and necessary actions shall be taken regarding those constituting crimes.
5. To prevent children and youth from accessing firearms or similar dangerous tools, joint efforts with school administrations, field inspections, intelligence studies, and risk-focused applications shall be increased; awareness-raising activities for parents who are licensed gun owners shall be conducted, and the fight against unlicensed weapons shall be carried out uncompromisingly."

Measures to be implemented for psychological support:

1. Violent tendencies, threatening language, control issues, aggressive behavior patterns (physical or verbal), and risk indicators emerging in digital platforms shall be carefully monitored, and early warning and early intervention mechanisms shall be effectively operated.
2. Intervention and referral efforts for students considered to be in the risk group shall be carried out with parent cooperation and inter-institutional coordination, and necessary monitoring, evaluation, and tracking mechanisms shall be established.
3. To support students' development and reduce risk factors that may negatively affect them, developmental and preventive guidance work shall be effectively prioritized.
4. Efforts to strengthen families in children's development shall be increased.
5. Digital well-being activities shall be expanded to enhance the skills of students, teachers, and parents against digital risks.
6. Following incidents of violence, school safety shall be promptly ensured to create a healthy educational environment, and psychosocial support services for affected students, teachers, and parents shall be maintained."

Cybersecurity measures:

1. Threat content targeting schools, students, and staff on the internet shall be regularly monitored by school administrations in terms of received complaints and by law enforcement units in terms of cyber detections.
2. When target identification, cyberbullying, and violence content are detected on social media, all relevant units shall be notified without delay.
3. Risky digital trends shall be analyzed as part of open-source intelligence.
4. Cybersecurity awareness training shall be organized for students and teachers.
5. Topics such as cyberbullying, digital ethics, safe internet use, personal data security, suspicious content, and fraud shall be included in cyber awareness education.
6. A cyber incident response procedure shall be established in schools.
7. A rapid notification mechanism (school administration + law enforcement) shall be established for use in suspicious situations.
8. Cyber incidents reported, subject to complaints, or detectable from open sources shall be recorded by the school administration, and an incident database shall be created.
9. Schools shall work in coordination with law enforcement units and relevant public institutions on cybersecurity.
10. Cybersecurity measures shall be periodically audited and updated.
11. A school-based cybersecurity plan shall be prepared based on risk analyses.
12. Violent tendencies and radicalization indicators emerging in the digital environment shall be evaluated as part of early warning.
13. The obtained data shall be integrated into the school safety risk analysis system."

Governorships, district governorships, law enforcement units, national education directorates, health organizations, and relevant institutions shall review intervention sequences and coordination procedures in potential incidents, and the initial response capacity shall be strengthened. In line with the Ministry of National Education's Disaster and Emergency Management Circular No. 2021/13, "Emergency Plans" including protection, rescue, and evacuation procedures against extraordinary situations such as fire, natural disaster, security threats, etc., shall be prepared and implemented with due sensitivity.

Additionally, information and awareness efforts shall be increased to help families early detect behavioral changes, risk signs, and negative tendencies in digital platforms among children. Preventive and awareness-raising activities against unsafe internet use, social media, cyberbullying, threats, the glamorization of crime and criminals, weapon and aggression-themed shares, and negative role models in digital platforms shall be carried out together with all relevant stakeholders. Awareness studies focusing on media literacy and family guidance shall be systematically continued against the normalization of violence, the appealing portrayal of crime, and the encouragement of weapon use through series, movies, digital broadcasts, and popular culture elements.Necessary contacts will be established with relevant NGOs, institutions, and organizations, especially education unions, to prevent misperceptions that may arise in the public and to strengthen the sense of trust. Appropriate information and consultation processes will be carried out for this purpose. Public briefings on incidents will be based solely on confirmed information, delivered in a timely and responsible manner; necessary actions will be decisively maintained against provocative posts, content praising crime and criminals, and disinformation attempts.