Step of the Turkish school that will create tension from Greece

The Greek Ministry of Education decided to close 9 more minority schools, citing the insufficient number of students in Western Thrace.

According to the decision of the Regional Directorate of Primary and Secondary Schools of the State of East Macedonia and Thrace, affiliated with the Greek Ministry of Education, 7 Turkish minority primary schools in Rhodope and 2 Turkish minority primary schools in Xanthi will be closed. While the number of Turkish minority primary schools, which have been systematically closed since 2011 due to lack of students, has steadily increased, the number of operating minority schools in Western Thrace has decreased to 90.

REACTION OF THE TURKISH MINORITY: AGAINST LAUSANNE

In the statement published by the Western Thracian Turkish Teachers Union (BTTÖB) on social media, there was a reaction to the decision.

In the statement, “The children, parents and teachers of the Western Thracian Turkic minority have been starting each new academic year off to a sad and sad start for years. All minority people are concerned about ‘how many more schools will be closed this year, how many more schools will be chained to their doors’.

Pointing out that the decision to close schools violates the Lausanne Treaty, it was claimed that the number of minority schools, which was 194 13 years ago, dropped to 90 with the latest decision. Emphasizing that minority schools are a cultural wealth of Greece, the statement said: “For this reason, it is essential that the state establish a dialogue with minority institutions to improve the quality of education in these schools and to meet with the requirements of modern education”. education in these schools. (AA)