Following the July 15 coup that shook Turkey, it is looking to train and hire over 20,000 state appointed teachers after revoking the licenses of about as many in response to the political unrest.

Specifically, “the [licenses] of 21,000 staff working in private schools were revoked, more than 15,000 employees at the education ministry were sacked, and the state-run higher education council demanded the resignation of 1,577 university deans,” according to The Telegraph. 

According to the country’s Education Minister, Islet Yilmaz, the country intends to move forward without allowing for students to suffer.

Many, however, debate how possible this actually is.

"When the mass firings and detentions seen in Turkey this week do eventually slow down, analysts explain that the country will still be unstable with gaping holes left in its state and academic institutions following the removal of so many professionals,” said The Huffington Post.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ordered the purging to eliminate opposition deemed responsible for the failed coup that occurred on July 15.

Ergodan’s struggle to maintain control has even influenced teachers working in the U.S.; in May, the Turkish government issued a warning to the U.S. to investigate the largest charter school network in Texas for hiring under-qualified Turkish teachers and and “steering business to Turkish nationals.”

Harmony Public Schools’ officials called the criticisms politically motivated as most U.S. residents from Turkey do not support Ergodan’s rule.

The charter school network has been investigated in the past for similar reasons, but the law firm hired by Turkey asked U.S. officials to launch a more comprehensive investigation to result in action.

As it stands, Turkey must now worry about training and placing the 21,000 teachers it needs.

\Nicole Gorman, Senior Education World Contributor

7/25/2016