Minister says Turkey among world's top countries in distance education while millions lack internet access

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The government has set up about 6,000 Education Informatics Network (EBA) centers throughout the country and will increase the number of centers to 20,000, Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk has said.

The school year in Turkey began on August 31 with distance education and schools will gradually open starting from Monday (September 21).

However, unions and opposition parties say that coronavirus measures at schools are not sufficient and many students are not able to attend distance education classes due to lack of internet access.

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Provincial chairs of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) released statements today (September 18) in all 81 provinces of the country,

The joint statement noted that more than three million students lack internet access and 754,429 students don't have a television in their home. The total number of students in primary, secondary and high school education in the country is over 18 million, according to a 2019 statement by the Ministry of National Education.

In the last school year, the ministry introduced online classes and EBA TV for distance education.

Speaking at a meeting for the introduction of the EBA channels today, Minister Selçuk said that "I'm talking very assertively, Turkey is one of the three or five best countries [in distance education]."

"We have established 6,000 EBA Support Centers for our children who can't access the internet. We have established them in a very short time. Every child who wants, every child who needs the internet and computers can come to these centers and work easily. We will increase the number to 20,000 in a very short time. Our children will benefit from these tools and opportunities," he said.

He further noted that students will be able to rewatch classes on the internet and EBA TV, which has been set up by the state broadcaster TRT. (RT/VK)