KTOEÖS states that the cause of the sexual violence incident at the Çanakkale primary school was the late appointment of school psychologists

In a written statement published on behalf of the leadership, the Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers’ Union (KTOEÖS) highlighted a serious systemic failure — last year, an incident of sexual violence occurred at Çanakkale Primary School, sparking broad public reaction. According to the union, the reason was that school psychologists (rehber öğretmen) were appointed too late, leaving students without access to essential counseling services during the first half of the school year.

The union’s statement emphasizes that during adolescence students undergo intense psycho-emotional changes. This is a biological, psychological, intellectual, and social stage that requires organized support. Teachers and counselors in schools play a key role in diagnosing anxiety, depression, aggression, and other problems, as well as in timely intervention.

It is noted that adolescent problems and tendencies toward deviant behavior can be reduced through psychological assistance. In addition, cooperation with families is important to identify and eliminate factors that lead children into unlawful behavior.

According to KTOEÖS, there has been an increase in cases of violence, bullying, and disciplinary violations in secondary and high schools. The union accuses the Ministry of Education and the government of failing to provide sufficient staffing, pointing to a lack of school psychologists and specialists for children with special educational needs.

It is particularly underlined that last year, during the second semester, 55 vacant positions were filled, including posts for school psychologists, which meant that students were left without necessary counseling during the first months of study. This year, appointment procedures have been delayed due to an “appointment ban” during the election period, and the process of teacher transfers does not comply with legal requirements. Moreover, due to errors in staffing, only one school psychologist and one special education specialist have been officially requested.

The union states that it was excluded from the transfer process and argues that staffing decisions, made without transparency, negatively affect teachers, students, and the education system as a whole. KTOEÖS declares that without correcting deficiencies and removing political influence, it will not be possible to stop the rise of violence and children’s tendency toward crime.

In conclusion, KTOEÖS calls for full and timely staffing, strengthening of counseling services in schools, the use of evidence-based analysis, and the implementation of preventive measures. The union also declares that it will continue its struggle against approaches that, in its view, jeopardize the quality of public education and the future of children.