Constitutional Court to discuss merits of controversial dershane law

The Constitutional Court will discuss the merits of a controversial law to close Turkey's dershanes, or private preparatory schools, that was taken to the top court by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) for annulment in April.

The CHP had filed in April a petition with the Constitutional Court to annul the dershane law. However, the top court returned the petition to the party following a meeting on May 14, asking the party to fix some problems regarding the formality of the petition. The CHP later resent a revised version of the petition to the court, which decided to discuss the merits of the law after the CHP's petition was approved during its meeting on Thursday.

With regard to another petition filed by the CHP in which it is also seeking an injunction on the execution of the law, the Constitutional Court will decide according to a report that will be prepared by a rapporteur. The report to be prepared by the rapporteur will determine if the law is against the Constitution. The top court is expected to give its ruling regarding the dershane law in the coming days.

The government, in a surprise move, decided last November to close prep schools, stirring a massive debate. These schools, with their affordable fees, are regarded by mostly middle or low-income families as an equalizer of educational opportunities.

Although there has been a strong public reaction against the push to close these schools, the government insists on shutting them down. The bill, including amendments to Law No. 5580 on Private Educational Institutions, was introduced by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government last October and sent to the Parliament Speaker's Office in February.

The AK Party government's bill was put to a vote and passed by Parliament on March 7 in a session that 90 deputies from the ruling party did not attend, and signed into law by President Abdullah Gül on March 12.

According to the law, the president of the Board of Education and Discipline of the Ministry of Education and the board's other members, the ministry's deputy undersecretaries, general directors, the chiefs of the education branches and the provincial education directors of the 81 provinces will be removed from their posts. The law also states that school principals and vice principals who have spent four years or more in their posts will also be removed from their posts. Furthermore, the law also states that dershanes will be allowed to operate until Sept. 1, 2015. All preparatory courses will be shut down after this date.

Published on Today's Zaman, 23 May 2014, Friday