20.06.2026 21:50
National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, who compared old and new Turkey using historical letters sent to the ministry for the 100th anniversary of the Republic during Bülent Ecevit's era, said that teachers back then dreamed of reducing crowded classrooms, having computers in schools, and addressing basic physical deficiencies. Tekin described the current state of education through these letters.
Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin, who attended the AK Party Expanded Provincial Advisory Council meeting in Denizli, came together with party members.
“IF WE CAN PROVIDE THESE SERVICES, IT IS THANKS TO THIS ORGANIZATION THAT STANDS FIRMLY BEHIND US” Stating that the services provided during the AK Party era were carried out under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister Tekin said, "May Allah be pleased with our President. If our President is doing these things, if we can provide these services, it is thanks to this organization that stands firmly and enthusiastically behind us. May you forgive us, may Allah be pleased with you all. If we can do something, if we can provide our services, if we use state property and public property to serve the nation and the homeland, if we have mayors who work with a passion to serve the people rather than those who carry money in baklava boxes, it is thanks to this organization that stands firmly behind us."
"CONSERVATIVE ANATOLIAN PEOPLE WERE TOLD, 'YOU ARE VERY HONEST. DON'T DO POLITICS'" Emphasizing that conservative people were kept away from politics for many years, Minister Tekin said, "I believe that politics is a relationship built on honesty. Remember in the 1970s, in Yeşilçam films, politics was always portrayed as a job done by morally responsible people with weak characters. Conservative Anatolian people were told, 'You are very honest. Don't do politics. Stay out of politics.' This was instilled in our subconscious. Then when we started to enter politics, our path was blocked by coups in 10-year periods. The things intended to be done were tried to be prevented through coups. In 2001, our President said, 'Nothing in Turkey will be the same as before.'"
HE READ THE HISTORICAL LETTERS SENT TO THE MINISTRY FOR THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC DURING THE ECEVİT ERA Minister Tekin revealed the letters sent for the 100th anniversary of the Republic during the era of Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit. Disclosing the letters sent by teachers to the Ministry of National Education 23 years ago as part of the project "What kind of Turkey do you expect on the 100th anniversary of the Republic?" initiated during the era of former Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit, Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin said: "Let me share with you issues related to education in the old Turkey. What was education like in the old Turkey? How is it today? When I explain this, opposition MPs and opposition political parties get angry at me. They are offended and disturbed by my words. In 2023, I came across a file. I explain these things based on that file. So what is that file? When the late Bülent Ecevit was Prime Minister, he started a project in 2002. He says, 'The 100th anniversary of the Republic is approaching. What kind of Turkey do you want on the 100th anniversary of the Republic? Let everyone write a letter.' The project was carried out through PTT. On October 29, 2023, PTT delivered those letters to me. Those letters are letters specific to Turkey before the AK Party government began. What was education like back then? Let me tell you.
"I HOPE I CAN TEACH IN CLASSES OF 50 STUDENTS" One of our teachers, in a letter written to the Ministry of National Education for the 100th anniversary, says, 'I hope that on the 100th anniversary of the Republic, I can teach in classes of 45-50 students.' In 2002, one of our teachers' dream was to teach in a class of 45-50 students. Today in Denizli, our average number of students per class is 9 in high schools and 12-15 in middle and primary schools. Another teacher says, 'I hope that on the 100th anniversary of the Republic, I will have a school where rats do not run rampant in the corridors.' Friends, all our buildings are first-class construction. All needs, including natural gas, are completed. You did this, friends. May Allah be pleased with you. Another teacher says, 'I hope that on the 100th anniversary of the Republic, I will not have to send our children outside the school to meet their toilet needs.' What were our schools like 22-23 years ago? How are they now? That's why we need to remember the old Turkey often. For example, another teacher says, 'I hope that on the 100th anniversary of the Republic, there will be one computer in our school.' Currently, all of our 65,000 schools are connected to each other via internet access lines. We provide free internet service in all of our 65,000 schools. In all of our 650,000 classrooms in 65,000 schools, there are smart boards that function as massive computers. What did our teacher dream of? What have we done? What was the old Turkey like? What kind of Turkey exists now? We have reached this point thanks to the support of the AK Party family to our President and the investments we made thanks to him."
"THEY WILL CRITICIZE YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE MADE ALL THE OPPOSITION APPRENTICES" AK Party Denizli Provincial Chairman Muhammet Subaşıoğlu, stating that CHP municipalities only produce polemics and gossip, also said, "Our Vocational Education Centers (MESEM), which you initiated during your undersecretary period and advanced greatly during your ministry period. Denizli knows the value of this best. Because Denizli is a city of production, because Denizli is a city of employment. We never say 'auxiliary staff.' Our terminology is different. We say apprentice, we say journeyman, we say master. This city will progress in the coming period, in the next 10 years, through apprentices, journeymen, and masters. Therefore, we thank you very much for MESEM. The opposition criticizes you a lot on this issue, they talk about work accidents and other excuses. Believe us, as the Denizli organization, we are behind you. We are always by your side. They will criticize you because, with the MESEM project, you have made all the opposition apprentices. For that, we thank you very much. More than two years have passed since the 2024 elections. Today, we only provide services in three district municipalities. Almost all of the rest are managed by CHP municipalities. Unfortunately, nothing has been done for our Denizli in the last two years. They have no projects. They have no book. They have no program. Most importantly, they have no intention of doing anything. Therefore, as the AK Party organization, we must stand firmly. What do CHP municipalities do? They just gather in the council once a month, gossip, and produce polemics. They do nothing else. Then they rest for a month, then produce polemics again."