Opposition objects to shift to university online learning

A government decision to shift to online education in Turkish universities so that earthquake sufferers can be accommodated in state dormitories has sparked a debate. The opposition has called on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to reverse this move, reports Hurriyet Daily News.

“All the state dormitories will be allocated to earthquake sufferers until the end of summer. Our universities will pursue online education,” Erdogan said in a statement over the weekend in Diyarbakir, one of 10 provinces hit by the massive earthquakes on 6 February. He recalled that some earthquake sufferers in Hatay and Kahramanmaras have already been settled in university dormitories. Tens of thousands of people have been left homeless after the devastating earthquakes almost flattened 10 cities.

The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) announced last week that the opening of the second semester of universities had been delayed until further notice. Erdogan’s statement on universities has drawn criticisms from opposition groups. “Don’t close the schools; do not ever! The mental health of our youngsters has suffered during COVID-19. Let’s not give more harm to them. Never! What we have is just our youth,” main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said on Twitter.
Full report on the Hurriyet Daily News site