Some schools offer diplomas without mandatory attendance

ISTANBUL

Following the Education Ministry's recent regulation that complicates the transition of high school students to distance education, some private educational institutions have started offering diplomas for a fee, without the obligation to attend classes and with a "guarantee" of graduating with high marks.

Although distance learning in universities has been common in Türkiye for a very long time, high school students in particular are switching to this mode of education lately. Nine percent of high school students in the country prefer to continue their education through distance learning.

After the ministry’s recent decision, certain private schools provide remote high school services in a disguised way, while these schools escape the ministry’s restrictions as they are officially registered as mainstream schools.

When daily Milliyet contacted one of these schools, posing as a parent of a student in his senior year who preferred not to attend school for exam preparation, the response was: "There's no need for the student to attend school. Our institution guarantees passing the exams. There won't be any risk of failing due to absenteeism. We won't record the number of student absences."

"We devised such a method because many of our students were experiencing difficulties in the transition to remote education. He will officially look like a student attending classes," explained an official from a school in Istanbul’s Ümraniye.

Another official stated that they provide education to students who want to come to school and attend classes but do not force those who don't want to come for exam preparation. Tuition fees at these schools range from 25,000 to 30,000 Turkish Liras ($900 to 1,100), and if a student chooses to attend school daily, the fees can increase further.

With the regulations, exceptions include national athletes, inclusive education students, students under protection laws, children of martyrs and veterans, and those approved by the ministry as having valid reasons for not attending conventional high schools. Apart from these exceptions, transfers and admissions to remote high school education have been prohibited.