Education Ministry introduces white aprons for teachers

On August 21, 2023, the Ministry of National Education published a circular regarding the procedures and transactions for this school year, including a provision encouraging teachers to wear aprons as a way to “promote professional representation and serve as role models for students.” 

Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin announced that on November 24, Teacher's Day, teachers would be gifted white aprons. The introduced "white aprons" were presented by the Minister. 

These aprons, which can be requested through the Ministry of National Education Information Systems (MEBBİS), will be distributed to interested teachers on November 24, Teacher's Day. The aprons were designed and tailored in two different models at the Institutes of Maturation affiliated with the Directorate General for Lifelong Learning. One is a classic "white apron" designed for primary, middle, and high school teachers, while the other is tailored for preschool teachers, allowing comfortable use during activities. 

The classic white apron features a silver-colored embroidery design on the front pockets, symbolizing "the road to infinity under the leadership of science." Additionally, a silver crescent is located on the collar. Aprons designed for preschool education teachers also include colorful balloons. 

Criticism

While the ministry does not mandate the wearing of aprons, critics believe that this practice may become compulsory at some point.

Nejla Kurul, the chair of the Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim Sen), stated in a comment for bianet in August, "Institutional encouragement can turn into coercion after a while. We have seen many examples of this. Moreover, we know very well that the government's discomfort is particularly related to the clothing of women education workers. We can evaluate the move of standardizing clothing in education as a result of the political power's interventions into the bodies, identities, and lifestyles of women as a whole." 

She added, "While intervening in children poses a problem in terms of freedoms, how can interference in teachers' clothing be considered? Any teacher who wishes can wear an apron, and indeed, many do. This move by the government is an effort to standardize, to homogenize education workers. We will continue our struggle against this." (RT/VK)