Student applies to Ombudsman after not getting her awards

ANKARA

An elementary school student who won a degree in international painting competitions applied to the Ombudsman Institution when the prizes she was supposed to receive from the Turkish Education Ministry were not given.

Aleyna Okuyucu living in the Black Sea province of Samsun won first and third place in two different international painting competitions held in 2017 and 2019.

Despite the young student was entitled to receive two full and one half gold coin awards from the Education Ministry for these achievements, her awards were not given on the ground of “lack of resources.”

Thereupon, Okuyucu filed a complaint to the Ombudsman Institution over the internet last year.

After corresponding and consulting with the ministry, the institution determined that the awards could not be given to Okuyucu due to the lack of financial resources.

The institution, which accepted the student’s application and decided to give her rights, resorted to making a recommendation to the ministry.

In the decision, it was determined that not only the applicant but also all the awards won could not be delivered due to the general lack of budget.

“It is considered that the rewards should be delivered in order for children to participate in cultural and artistic life,” it said in the decision.