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Türkiye commemorated Teachers’ Day with ceremonies and programs held nationwide on Nov. 24, underscoring the pivotal role educators play in shaping future generations and reaffirming the nation’s commitment to strengthening the teaching profession.
On the occasion of Teachers’ Day, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended a ceremony in Ankara where the Ministry of National Education announced the hiring of 15,000 new teachers.
President Erdoğan emphasized the vital role of teachers, describing them as master craftsmen who shape not only knowledge but also students’ mindset and character. He cited Nurettin Topçu’s reflection on teaching’s transformative power, highlighting that teachers go beyond duty to act as parental figures and integral members of students’ lives.
Addressing the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, Erdoğan noted the accelerating pace of technological change and stressed the need to adapt wisely rather than resist. He acknowledged that today’s youth engage heavily in digital environments, where they socialize and form communities, underscoring that prohibitions alone are ineffective in managing this new reality.
To foster effective engagement, Erdoğan emphasized: “To establish healthy communication with our children and deliver quality education, we must reconcile with these realities. Furthermore, there is a significant generational gap in comprehension. We cannot impose the world we grew up in onto our children and expect progress. Instead, we have a duty to prepare them for the future they will inhabit.”
Quoting timeless wisdom, he said, “Hz. Ali’s well-known advice underscores this point: ‘Raise your children according to the time they will live in, not the time you lived in.’ The late Nurettin Topçu similarly emphasized that the manner of teaching is not merely the form or appearance, but the essence and spirit behind it. Effective teaching is defined by good method; poor teaching by poor method.”
Highlighting the shared responsibility of educators and families, Erdoğan said, “In this regard, parents and teachers share critical responsibilities. The dedication and love with which a teacher embraces their students are as vital and valuable as the support families provide to teachers. Such cooperation is indispensable. Families’ active involvement in their children’s education and learning processes, especially in combating threats emerging from the digital world, is of utmost importance.”
Transitioning to reflect on Türkiye’s education system development, President Erdoğan outlined a strategic financial and structural evolution: “In 2002, education ranked fourth in our national budget priorities. However, starting from 2003, we elevated education to the foremost position. This priority was consistently maintained in the 2026 budget as well. For the Ministry of National Education in 2026, we allocated substantial resources amounting to 1.944 trillion Turkish lira.”
Highlighting quantitative achievements, Erdoğan noted: “During this period, the number of classrooms increased from 343,000 to 616,000 today. Including private schools, this figure approaches 754,000 classrooms. We take pride in having doubled the number of classrooms compared to the previous era within just 23 years.”
He continued, “There has also been a significant rise in the number of teachers serving in our schools. Since 2002, we have appointed 821,360 teachers. Currently, the total number of teachers working in formal education institutions exceeds 1,034,000. Remarkably, eight out of every 10 teachers actively serving today were appointed during our administration.”
Reflecting on the critical role of teachers, Erdoğan stated, “Without teachers, who would nurture our students? This is why we have placed the utmost importance on supporting educators. This transformation is palpable inside classrooms. I recall my own student years, where class sizes ranged from 70 to 90 students. Today, thanks to our efforts, this number has been reduced to around 15 to 25 students per class.”
He elaborated on improvements in educational quality, emphasizing, “We had to enhance quality – and we succeeded. The student-to-teacher ratio has dropped from 28 to 15 overall, and in secondary education from 18 to 11. Globally, very few countries have achieved such improvements within such a short time frame. Türkiye has achieved this milestone during our term.”
Turning to enrollment rates, he shared promising statistics: “Our enrollment rates tell a similarly encouraging story. For example, the net enrollment rate for preschool education at age 5 has increased from 11.7% to 82.53%. In primary education, rates rose from 91% to 96%, and in secondary education from 50.57% to 82.85%. In the 6-14 age group, our enrollment rate of 99% surpasses the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of 98%. For the 15-19 age group, by 2023, enrollment reached 79%, approaching the OECD average of 84%.”
Acknowledging the complexity of educational reform, he concluded, “Over the past 23 years, we have made substantial strides and implemented historic reforms despite numerous obstacles. Yet, we do not claim to have resolved every issue in education. Some challenges have persisted for nearly a century, while others stem from the scars left by past military coups. Additionally, we face contemporary challenges driven by an evolving Türkiye with changing needs.”
