2024-05-11 22:27:25
Many teachers in Turkey joined a one-day strike today against violence against teachers, which led to empty classrooms across the country and especially in Istanbul, reports the electronic edition of Hurriyet Daily News.
The teachers’ protest comes after significant public outcry in the education community following the killing of a school principal by an expelled student in Istanbul’s Eyupsultan district earlier this week.
According to local media, participation in the strike was substantial and schools remained unusually empty compared to other days, writes BTA.
A demonstration by a group of teachers was also held in Istanbul in front of the building of the Ministry of Education in the city.
Thousands of teachers also gathered in Ankara outside the ministry building and marched to parliament, chanting slogans calling for an end to school violence.
The demonstration, which involved teachers from seven unions, highlighted security vulnerabilities and called for action, the paper said.
“Workers in the field of education urgently demand and expect the implementation of legal provisions that provide for extremely deterrent criminal measures against cases of violence directed at them, as well as legal protection for victims of violence,” said union leader Ali Yalchan.
Following news of the protests, Education Minister Yusuf Tekin said yesterday that his ministry would soon propose an amendment to parliament to increase penalties for violence against teachers in schools.