Municipalities launch various student support programs

educational support social assistance student subsidies school supplies canteen cards

Various municipalities and regional authorities in Turkey and Cyprus have launched or expanded social support programs for students to promote educational equality and alleviate family economic burdens.

In Istanbul, the ‘Gönülden Bir Öğün’ project, led by the Istanbul Governorship, provides ‘Canteen Cards’ to needy students. These cards are loaded with 2,000 TL monthly, usable exclusively in school canteens to support nutrition and prevent absenteeism. The project aims to reach 100,000 students.

In Ankara, the Metropolitan Municipality has allocated approximately 293.5 million TL for school clothing and stationery for over 83,000 students, with a total education support goal of 1.25 billion TL for the 2026-2027 academic year.

Mersin Metropolitan Municipality is distributing school bags and stationery sets to 17,000 first-grade students across 141 schools through its ‘İlk Çantam Projesi’. Meanwhile, Muğla Metropolitan Municipality has increased student support by over 31%, offering significant annual aid to university, high school, and primary students for stationery, clothing, and nutrition.

In Cyprus, the Mesarya Municipality has completed school maintenance and landscaping projects, contributing over 5.2 million TL to local education facilities.

Entities

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality · Davut Gül · Halkbank · Istanbul Children's Foundation · Istanbul Governorship · Istanbul Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation · Mersin Metropolitan Municipality · Mesarya Municipality · Muğla Metropolitan Municipality

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] The project aims to reduce absenteeism caused by economic reasons and ensure equal access to education. www.aksiyon.com.tr · www.gercekgundem.com · www.haberturk.com
[● 3 SOURCES] If a family has multiple students, each student receives a separate card. www.aksiyon.com.tr · www.gercekgundem.com · www.haberturk.com
[● 2 SOURCES] 50,000 students have already been identified and received their cards. www.aksiyon.com.tr · www.haberturk.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The 'Gönülden Bir Öğün' project provides monthly canteen support to disadvantaged students in Istanbul. www.aksiyon.com.tr · www.gercekgundem.com · www.haberturk.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The canteen cards cannot be withdrawn as cash and are only valid for use in school canteens. www.aksiyon.com.tr · www.gercekgundem.com · www.haberturk.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The project has the capacity to expand to support up to 100,000 students. www.aksiyon.com.tr · www.haberturk.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Target groups include orphans, children of martyrs and veterans, disabled children, and children from high-risk social backgrounds. www.aksiyon.com.tr
[● 3 SOURCES] Each student receives 2,000 TL loaded onto their canteen card every month. www.aksiyon.com.tr · www.gercekgundem.com · www.haberturk.com