# Turkish public school registration fee controversy

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-public-school-registration-fee-controversy
> Updated: 2026-09-03T11:25:00.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2.

In late August 2026, education officials in Turkey issued directives to prevent illegal registration fees during the upcoming school enrollment process. In Şanlıurfa, Provincial Director Hasan Kökrek warned that administrators requesting money under any guise would be removed from their positions to ensure equal access to education. Similarly, in Ağrı, officials instructed principals that no funds should be requested from parents.

By early September, protests emerged in Eskişehir regarding the continued collection of these fees. Members of the Eskişehir People's Representatives Assembly demonstrated at Melahat Ünügür Middle School. Pınar İnselöz of the Teacher Initiative claimed the Ministry of National Education was “consciously ignoring” the practice, alleging that schools are being tiered into ‘qualified’ and ‘unqualified’ categories based on parental donations. Protesters argued that essential services like cleanliness and security have become commercialized, placing an undue burden on families facing high poverty and hunger limits.

## Claims

- The Ministry of National Education is consciously ignoring the practice of charging registration fees despite a ban on such fees. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Demanding registration fees is a crime. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The current system creates a standard where cleanliness, security, and education quality are determined by the amount of money paid. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The hunger limit has exceeded 38,000 TL and the poverty limit has exceeded 121,000 TL. (corroborated by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-03: Eskişehir protesters denounce illegal school registration fees

THTM members protested in Eskişehir against illegal registration fees in public schools, accusing the Ministry of National Education of ignoring the practice and commercializing basic educational rights.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/eskiehir-protesters-denounce-illegal-school-registration-fees

### 2026-08-25: Turkish education officials prohibit illegal school registration fees

Turkish education officials in Şanlıurfa and Ağrı have prohibited school administrators from requesting any registration fees or unauthorized payments from parents during the enrollment process.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkish-education-officials-prohibit-illegal-school-registration-fees

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Cite as: Turkish public school registration fee controversy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-public-school-registration-fee-controversy