Press Centre 2004/09/03: Girls’ Education
Everything for the Girls
Posta Newspaper, 3rd September 2004
An optimistic start to a new school day in southeastern Turkey.
Photograph by Rana Mullan
© UNICEF Turkey 2004
As school bells are set to ring all over the country, the campaign to increase enrolment rates for girls in primary education gains momentum in the eastern and south-eastern regions.
Governorates and provincial education directorates are leading the campaign jointly to ensure the enrolment of girls who have been withdrawn from school -- especially after fifth grade -- to take care of younger brothers and sisters at home. One of the provinces witnessing the more intensive activity of the campaign is Şanlıurfa. Thirty-two teachers from Şair Abdi Primary School in the Eyyubiye borough of the city are knocking on doors to convince parents. The teachers have so far met with 100 families out of which a total of 450 girls are not attending school. Responding to comments such as five years is enough education
they answer that it’s compulsory to attend primary education for eight years, otherwise you are breaking the law
.
UNICEF in action
UNICEF Turkey is an ardent supporter of the campaign. Edmond McLoughney, the UNICEF Representative in Turkey visited Kars for the Haydi Kızlar Okula! campaign, which UNICEF is conducting in partnership with the Ministry of National Education. Remarking that 4,494 girls in Kars are leaving school after the fifth grade, McLoughney says it is their target to get at least 2,200 of these girls back to school. The UNICEF Representative visited Kaynarlı Village in the district of Selim -- the pilot area of the campaign in Kars -- where he asked local people to send their girls to school.
Her dreams came true
It happened during a circumcision ceremony organised by the Kepez Municipality in Antalya. While Alişan, a celebrated singer was performing on the stage, fifteen-year-old Emine Çiftçioğlu suddenly jumped onstage, took the microphone from Alişan and declared to the audience:
My Father Ekrem is not sending me to school!
The young girl’s courageous act impressed Abdülkadir Aksu, the Minister of the Interior, who was attending the ceremony. Acting on the Minister’s personal directive, Antalya Governorate registered Emine to Karatay Secondary School. In addition to covering her school expenses, the Governorate will provide additional cash support of 50 million TL a month.
Much happier now, Emine says, my dreams came true …
Download the latest update on Haydi Kızlar Okula! in pdf format. [PDF 404KB]
Read more about Haydi Kızlar Okula! in our Programmes section. The full text of the Provincial Governors’ Declaration in support of Haydi Kızlar Okula! can be found in the UNICEF Turkey Press Centre.
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OTHER PRESS RELEASES ON GIRLS’ EDUCATION ISSUES
- The Haydi Kızlar Okula! campaign to increase enrolment rates for girls in primary education gains momentum in the eastern and south-eastern regions.
- Governor Temel Koçaklar underlined the success achieved in getting girls into school in Mardin through the Haydi Kızlar Okula! campaign.
- In a survey launched under the UNICEF campaign to support girls’ education, it was found that 4,068 girls in İzmir and its vicinity were not enrolled at school for various reasons.
- The Governorate of İzmir launched a campaign to ensure girls’ primary school enrolment by changing the attitude of their parents.
- Twenty-five committed teachers in Bingöl went without their summer holidays in order to meet parents who were not sending their daughters to school and help change their minds.
- Sabah newspaper reports from the province of Siirt where both the education system and the economy are is undergoing revolutionary changes.
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