Turkey: Teachers protest mandatory white uniform directive

Teachers in Turkey have staged protests in Ankara against a new directive from the Ministry of National Education mandating the use of white uniforms for educators. Education unions, including Eğitim-İş, argue that the focus on dress codes is a distraction from systemic failures within the public school system.

Protesters highlighted several critical issues facing Turkish schools, including teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate cleanliness, and security concerns. The president of the Eğitim-İş union criticized the ministry for prioritizing uniform specifications over the physical space available to students.

Additional grievances raised during the demonstration included the high cost of school supplies, which can reach three times the minimum wage, and the lack of free school meals. Demonstrators symbolically left food trays and cleaning supplies outside the ministry to underscore the lack of basic resources. Data cited from PISA indicates that one in three Turkish children attends school without breakfast, and one in five skips meals.