Principal makes students kiss his hand in Turkey’s southeast

KAHRAMANMARAŞ

A video showing a high school principal making students kiss his hand at the entrance of the school in the southeastern province of Kahramanmaraş has stirred debate on social media and mainstream broadcasters in Turkey.

The high school principal, İbrahim Yılmazcan, was also a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) mayoral candidate for Kahramanmaraş’s Pazarcık district in 2009.

In the video, the students are seen entering the school one by one after kissing the principal’s hand who is sitting on a chair next to entrance gate of the high school.

Although the video went viral, there was no official statement made and no details about the date of the video.

But main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) lawmaker Sezgin Tanrıkulu brought up the topic in parliament.

He asked whether the Education Ministry would launch any investigations into the incident as there were no statements released yet.

In Turkey, kissing the hand of elder people is a sign of respect.