‘COVID-19 cases detected in 872 schools, 774 classrooms closed’

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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The Education and Science Laborers' Union (Eğitim-Sen) warns that the Ministry of National Education is putting the continuation of in-class education at risk by not taking necessary measures.

In a written statement released by the union, the number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases reported to the Eğitim-Sen have been shared with the public. According to this data, the number of schools where COVID-19 cases have been detected is 872 across the country.

The union has noted that the number of closed classrooms is 774 while the Ordu Aybastı Science High School has been completely closed.

The number of teachers who are close contacts or COVID-positive in those schools is 429 while the number of students who are close contacts or COVID-positive is 3 thousand 947. 23 school personnel have also been detected to be close contacts or COVID-positive.

Minister's allegation of 'national security'

Attending a TV program at the weekend, Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer said that none of the 71 thousand 320 schools had been closed due to having COVID-19 cases or close contacts.

In a statement yesterday (September 20), Minister Özer argued that the education system and the continuation of open and face-to-face education "is a matter of national security in this process."

Sharing the rates of vaccination among teachers, Özer said that 92 percent of the teachers have received the first dose while 83 percent have been vaccinated with both doses. According to the Minister, the rate of unvaccinated teachers with antibodies is 5 percent.

Union: No serious planning was done

In its statement about the ongoing in-class education amid the pandemic, the Eğitim-Sen has said, "Even though Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer used the expression of 'We have taken the necessary measures at schools', a significant part of schools across Turkey have been obviously not made suitable for pandemic conditions and the necessary preparations for infrastructure have not been undertaken."

The union has also criticized the fact that even though Turkey is one of the few countries that suspended in-class education for the longest period of time during the pandemic, it did not make preparations for the new school year with a serious educational planning.

It has underlined that the lack of teachers has not been eliminated and new schools and additional classrooms have not been built.

Fewest students per class at imam hatips

Noting that Turkey has not adopted the measure of having fewer students in classrooms, the union has said that according to the Ministry's 2019-2020 statistics, "the lowest number of students per class is in imam hatip religious vocational secondary schools and high schools."

Referring to the lack of teachers as well, the Eğitim-Sen has reiterated that while there is a need for the appointment of at least 100 thousand teachers, it has been recently announced that 15 thousand teachers will be appointed and it will be done on January 31, 2022."

Concluding its statement, the union has reminded the Ministry of National Education of the recommendations and requests that they raised before the in-class education began in Turkey in early September 2021, but have not been met by the Ministry. (KÖ/SD)