Mixed education proposal from EMEP's Karaca to Minister Tekin

Labor Party (EMEP) Gaziantep Deputy Sevda Karaca submitted a proposal to the Presidency of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, requesting that the Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin respond.

Karaca stated that it is not a coincidence that Yeni Akit newspaper's headline "End mixed education" and 335 non-governmental organizations demanded that mixed education be made compulsory in a joint statement.

Karaca claimed that in the reports published by structures such as the Maarif Platform, single-sex schooling was advocated by directly targeting secular and scientific education.

"THIS SIEGE IS NOT NEW"

Stating that this "siege" against mixed and secular education is not new, Karaca reminded that the demands for removing mixed education from being obligatory were brought to the agenda at the 19th National Education Council held when Yusuf Tekin was the Undersecretary of the Ministry of National Education.

Karaca said, "The seeds planted during that period are continued with the transition to the 4+4+4 system, religious protocols such as ÇEDES, the dissemination of Quran courses for 4-6 year olds, and the de facto separation of schools in imam hatip secondary and high schools."

Noting that targeting mixed education has a class nature, Karaca emphasized that the elimination of girls and children from poor families from equal and qualified education paves the way for child marriages and cheap and flexible labor exploitation.

Karaca included the following questions in his proposal:

"-What is the connection between the Ministry and the 335 associations, foundations and unions that published declarations against mixed education? What are the protocols signed with these structures in the field of education?

-To what extent does the statement against co-education, signed by Cihannüma Association, reflect the official policies of the Ministry?

-Considering that the abolition of co-education was brought to the agenda at the 19th National Education Council in 2014, when Yusuf Tekin was the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, does the Ministry have a legislative change plan to completely liquidate co-education today?

-Despite the provision in Article 15 of the Basic Law of National Education that 'It is essential to provide mixed education for girls and boys in schools', is there any examination or investigation opened about the gender segregation practices that have actually been implemented in imam hatip schools and schools carrying out hafiz projects in recent years?

-While the abolition of the right to a free meal in schools, cleaning and hygiene problems, child murders in MESEMs and the problems of unappointed teachers await solutions, what is the reason for the Ministry to give priority to the demands of reactionary groups against mixed education?

"Is there a scientific impact analysis study conducted by the Ministry regarding the pedagogical and sociological warnings that the abolition or relaxation of co-education will increase girls' school dropout rates, pave the way for child marriages, and turn women into cheap labor by isolating them from social life?"