Kenan ÇETİN
İZMİR

The parents of students we interviewed in İzmir's working class districts Buca and Gaziemir stated that they do not have the economic abilities to buy tablets, computers and internet access for their children. Emphasising that their poverty deprived their children of education, especially amid the coronavirus crisis, the parents demanded free internet access and tablets from the authorities to be able to engage in distanced learning.

Suna Yılmaz, 30, who lives in İnönü, Buca, said that the eldest of her two children was in the first grade of primary school. Expressing that her husband is working but his earnings are barely enough for rent and food, Yılmaz said: “We do not have the ability to buy tablets or computers. My child is trying to watch his lessons on his mobile phone, but the internet data allowance immediately runs out. Moreover, in many parts of our neighbourhood, there is hardly any service.”

Yılmaz stated that she applied for support to receive a tablet, but does not know whether it will be given or not, and said that her child has not returned face-to-face education yet.

“This is a child who is supposed to be learning to read and write,” she said. “How is this going to work through distanced learning?​”

“NO ONE HAS CONTACTED US REGARDING A TABLET”

Songül Turgay, from the same neighbourhood, has five children - two of which are in the sixth-grade. She said that while they have a television in their house, there is no signal on the Educational Informatics Network (EBA) and that her children cannot follow their lessons as they do not have internet access, a tablet or a computer. Turgay said that only her husband had a phone in their household and when he is away at work, their children cannot watch the EBA.

She said: “My husband has no permanent job. Our house rent is 750 liras (£72GBP/$94USD)* and, along with the income from my eldest son’s work, seven people are trying to make a living under very difficult conditions. I don't even know where to apply for support to receive a tablet.

“No one from their school or any of their teachers has ever called to check or asked about us.”

“I CAN'T BUY FOOD FOR MY BABY, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET A TABLET?​”

Elvan Adıgüzel, who lives in Gaziemir's Binbaşı Reşatbey district, is 38 years old and has four children. One of her children is in the seventh grade, and the youngest is only seven months old. Her eldest child has not been able to watch his lessons since there is no tablet, computer or internet access at home.

Stating that she applied for the tablet, Adıgüzel said: “I have made an application but I do not know whether or not they will provide one. My husband just got out of prison - he is unemployed. I have a seven-month-old baby, I cannot work. I am unable to breastfeed, I cannot even buy food and diapers for my baby, how can I buy a tablet and afford the internet”.

Hakkı Aslan, who runs a coffee shop in the same neighbourhood, said that three of his four children went to school. Warning that internet infrastructure is also problematic in their neighbourhood, Aslan said that the main problem is poverty. Aslan said that all three of his children were trying to watch the lessons on their mother's phone because he was not at home due to work. This meant that they could not watch most of the lessons.

Aslan said that the internet data on their phones runs out quickly and added: “Our earnings have decreased very much due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I do not have the money to buy a tablet or computer under these conditions.

“When the internet data is finished, we sometimes have to send the children to our relatives who have the internet”.

TEACHERS' UNION: THE AUTHORITIES DID NOT HEED OUR WARNINGS

Regarding the problems experienced by the parents, teachers' union Eğitim Sen’s İzmir Branch 5 leader Özcan Çetin said: “We, as Eğitim Sen, emphasised that the pandemic will deepen the inequalities in education and that education is a public responsibility of the state. Authorities did not heed our warnings.

“As it can be seen in these neighbourhoods, access to education is getting more and more difficult at the moment. As poverty increases, children are deprived of their right to education. We continue to convey to the authorities our requests to provide internet access, tablets and computers to our students and education workers in order to make distanced learning possible.

“In order to reveal the problems that are being experienced in education, we want to establish an ‘Education Monitoring Board’ along with other social groups in the coming days.” (EVRENSEL DAILY)

*The monthly minimum wage in Turkey is 2,324 liras (£233GBP/$291USD) and the cost of living is high with a litre of milk costing 5.65 liras, monthly transport costs at 200 liras, and basic utilities at 472.85 liras on average.