24.07.2026 14:30
Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin stated that according to the data they have, teachers working in private schools receive an average salary of around 40,000 lira, and said, 'If there are colleagues working for less than minimum wage or in inhumane conditions, let them apply to me. I will immediately open an investigation into that school.'
Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin held an evaluation meeting regarding his ministry's projects at the Erzurum Teachers' House.
Speaking at the meeting attended by Governor Aydın Baruş, Metropolitan Mayor Mehmet Sekmen, district mayors, senior ministry bureaucrats, and institutional directors, Tekin said, "The entire society is closely concerned with national education. Everyone inevitably discusses at home and at the dinner table their child's education at school, the school they attend, their teacher, and their textbook. We are a ministry that is discussed in every setting. When this is the case, everyone has their own truths, accepting their own viewpoint and perspective as the most correct. When we list all the statements like 'you should do this' we encounter on the street, many suggestions emerge. It is such a difficult ministry. But I am here as your colleague trying to do something with the prayers of our citizens and the selfless efforts of our teacher friends."
"IF THERE ARE THOSE WORKING BELOW MINIMUM WAGE, APPLY TO ME IMMEDIATELY"
Presenting on the work done by the ministry, particularly in Erzurum, Tekin responded to a question from press members regarding private school teachers. Tekin stated the following:
"As a ministry, we do not allow any teacher to work for less than the wage they deserve. I told these colleagues too: if there is a private school doing as you claim, report it to us immediately. We will take the necessary action regarding that school. Because the data we have shows that, on average, our teacher colleagues working in private schools earn around 40,000 lira. That is concrete data. If there is a colleague working below the minimum wage or in inhumane conditions, let them apply to me. I will immediately open an investigation into that school. Illegal structures, unregistered institutions, we already do not have them on record. There are 12,500 private schools. If any colleague working at these private schools is being paid under such inhumane conditions, let them apply to us today. We will do what is necessary."
"WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING CLEANING AND SECURITY SERVICES BY 2027"
Responding to a question about cleaning and security issues in schools, Minister Tekin said, "Until 2015, there was no problem with cleaning and security in our schools. Why wasn't there? How were we handling this? We did it through subcontracting. Then those subcontractors were put on staff. So, what happened after these approximately 60,000 people who ensured the cleaning and security of schools before being put on staff were transferred? We cannot solve these problems with staff members, in the status of civil servants. The same people cleaned the schools before they were put on staff. Look, currently there are about 55,000 people remaining from that, and we are hiring 70,000 under TYP. There are over 120,000 people. To resolve this process more healthily, let me say this: we are in the process of purchasing cleaning and security services for our schools by the 2027 budget, not with permanent staff, but as we did before. Let me repeat: we have no plan to hire permanent staff. In other words, we are not creating such positions. Because we have a concrete example," he said.