Teacher couple prepares quake-stricken students for exams in a container classroom

HATAY

A teacher couple in Hatay’s Samandağ district turned a container into a classroom to prepare quake survivor students for the high school entrance exam.

In Hatay, while efforts are underway to heal the wounds of quake victims, a teacher couple came up with a wonderful idea for students whose education was interrupted by the devastating quakes of Feb. 6.

Sibel Gümüş and Erhan Gümüş turned a container into a classroom and started preparing students for the high school entrance exam.

In the container classroom where a total of eight volunteer teachers, many students are working hard to succeed despite the traumatizing events they have gone through.

Sibel Gümüş, normally a teacher at Cumhuriyet Elementary School in Samandağ, said that education must continue no matter what.

Stressing that they will do their best for the students, Gümüş stated they will continue to be there for them until the end.

“There is fear in the eyes of the children, but there is also a great amount of hope. When you look into their eyes, you forget everything. I hope they all reach their goals and get into the high school they want,” she added.

Erhan Gümüş, who was as a science teacher at Eriklikuyu Imam Hatip Secondary School, said they will work with volunteer teachers six days a week.

“We are teaching all the courses that will be covered in the exam. The container is full, but we will open the second and third ones soon,” he said.

Those who wish to work with them and apply as teachers should come to Adem Nural Primary School, he added.

Thirteen-year-old Zerka Temizkan, one of the students, said that the fear of the earthquake has not gone away and that they still have difficulty sleeping soundly at night.

Stating that she will continue studying for the exam no matter what, Temizkan thanked their teachers and everyone who sent them aid materials and containers.