The “Free School Meals Right Now” workshop was organized by the Turkish School Meal Coalition at the Ankara City Council. The workshop was moderated by the Student Parent Association (Veli-Der) Ankara Branch President Hülya Daran Deveci, and the opening speeches were made by Veli-Der General President Ömer Yılmaz and Contemporary Life Support Association (ÇYDD) General President Prof. Dr. Ayşe Yüksel.
‘PROMISES FORGOTTEN’
Speaking first, Veli-Der General President Yılmaz asked, “Why is the right to school meals, which exists in every country in the world, not available in our country?” Yılmaz continued his words as follows:
“This is not due to a lack of budget, but to the political preference of the political power. Our children’s right to education has been obstructed due to austerity. The Minister of National Education says, ‘Will children eat the food we distribute?’ We also ask the Minister. Didn’t you think about these things when your party promised food to all children before the general election? Why is your door, which is open to private school owners, always closed to us? You transferred millions of liras to religious sect structures. Why don’t you use this for our children’s right to food and water? It is your obligation to use our taxes for our children.” Speaking after Yılmaz, ÇYDD General President Yüksel said, “When we were students, there was no problem with nutrition in school. How far back have we gone in the 101st year of our Republic that we are talking about these things?”
Speaking at the Child Poverty and Unbalanced Nutrition session, Deep Poverty Network Founder Hacer Foggo said, “According to TÜİK, there are over 7 million poor children in Turkey. The child labor rate is 22.1 percent, and the anemia rate in children under 5 is 6 percent. Poverty is getting deeper. We will continue to fight against these facts.”
‘INCREASING POVERTY HIT CHILDREN’
Speaking at the first session titled “Healthy nutrition is essential for quality education,” Education Union Chairman Kemal Irmak drew attention to poverty in the country.
Irmak said, “A food net that was filled for 100 liras in 2021 has filled for 900 liras in three years. Poverty has increased sixfold in the last three years. The increase in poverty hits children more. This means that the future of the country is under threat.” Irmak said the following: “Last year, one in every five children went hungry, this year one in four children went hungry. The rate of enrollment in schools with a food program has increased by nine percent. If there is a food program in the school, the absenteeism rate decreases. Food keeps children active. It also contributes to the family budget. There is a direct relationship between children’s nutrition and success. Turkey abstains from this.”
TEKİN: WE MADE PROTOCOL WITH 8-10 CONGREGATIONS
Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin gave the following answer to a question on the protocols made with religious communities and sects on a television program he attended: “The number of protocols they define as religious communities and sects is something like 8-10. The initiative in protocols belongs entirely to the ministry.” Regarding the opening of contract teacher appointment results, Tekin said, “A person opened it from the system by mistake and an investigation was launched into him.” He also made a statement regarding the cleaning problems experienced in schools that 30 thousand cleaning personnel will be hired. There are 75 thousand schools in Turkey. 60 thousand of these are state schools.
Source: www.cumhuriyet.com.tr
