Mass Teacher Strike to Take Place in Northern Cyprus Today

A large-scale strike organized by teachers' unions will take place today in Northern Cyprus. Around 40 organizations are expected to join the protest, which is in response to interference in secular education and attempts to impose certain social ideologies through the school system.

The strike is being led by the Secondary Education Teachers' Union (KTOEÖS) and the Primary School Teachers' Union (KTÖS).

Under the slogan “We Say ‘Stop’ to Social Engineering,” the protest will kick off at 6:00 PM at the Citroen Lights junction in Nicosia. From there, participants will march toward the Martyrs' Monument.

KTOEÖS President Selma Eyilem stated that political, economic, and cultural interventions are being observed, all of which are seen as targeting Turkish Cypriots. According to Eyilem, the government aims to “separate society from its identity through the education system.”

“The Constitution, the National Education Law, Atatürk’s principles, and his reforms are being ignored. Social engineering is being carried out through our children. We will all come together and say 'stop' to this," read the union's statement.

KTÖS General Secretary Burak Maviş, commenting on the ongoing discussion about the hijab in schools, stated, "It is unrealistic to believe that children under the age of 18 should be making such decisions on their own."

It’s important to note that earlier, Northern Cyprus published a revised version of the "Disciplinary Regulations,” which addresses the wearing of the hijab in schools. The regulations specify that the main rules regarding students' appearances will be determined by the individual school administrations.