Hasret Gültekin KOZAN
Kocaeli

Student bus accidents and deaths as a result of the accidents that took place in the past month brought up the questions of the adequacy of the shuttles and drivers and how they are supervised.

Last week, the student bus service carrying 21 students from Gebze Emlak Konutları Anatolian High School hit the railing of the bridge and fell into the stream after hitting the woman named Birsen Giriş, who was passing by. The woman and 4 students hit by the overturned shuttle died; 17 people, 16 of whom were students, were injured. Last month, the student bus service crashed in Afyon, and 5 students lost their lives.

“IT BECAME UNSOLVABLE”

The Chair of Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim-Sen) Gebze Branch, Eylem Bahadır, with whom we spoke, said that the problems experienced were turned into an inextricable situation by the government. Stating that there are many examples showing that state institutions are collapsing with each passing day, Bahadır said, “Let's remember forest fires, for example. What a disaster it created… Or the accidents that occurred one after another on the state railways… We can give many examples of how many institutions do not function today.”

Bahadır, who said that what happened in the field of education brought up the question of "What's going on?" said, "Service accidents are the product of a total decay. Privatization, marketization and religionalitation and the corruption in the bureaucracy itself; It is the sum of service accidents, forest fires or environmental disasters.”

"THE DEFICIENCIES IN AUDITING ARE IGNORED"

Bahadır said, “Even if the audit is done in full, the tenders are in the middle. Everyone knows the gang of 5, which consistently wins big tenders. While the taxes he did not pay and the incentives given are obvious, the results of the lawsuits filed against them are also clear. Since the relationship between the bidders and the central bureaucracy is clear, the deficiencies in the audits are ignored. This is also the case in school canteens. The perception of 'nothing will happen even if a complaint is made' is settled," she said.

Bahadır, who we asked if the problem of labour service and school bus service, which is experienced during start of working hours  and end of working hours, could be arranged with another kind of planning, pointed out that the issue of dual education has still not been resolved and said, “There are not enough schools in the neighbourhoods. Therefore, this coincidence and intensity will be experienced as a 'destiny'. Of course, if it's 'destiny'..." she said.

"WE ARE AGAINST TRANSPORTED EDUCATION"

Reminding that they are against transported education, Bahadır said, “We do not find it right to transport students from certain regions to schools with shuttles. We think that all workers and labourers' children have the right to public, free, quality education that the people can benefit from in every region. We reject any market-based relationship that creates social inequality. We advocate public, scientific and secular education,” she said.

"SHE CONTRIBUTED TO THE STRUGGLE OF WOMEN"

Kocaeli Bread and Rose Women's Solidarity Association published a condolence message for Birsen Giriş, who lost her life in an accident as a result of being hit by a bus service while crossing the road. The message, in which it is stated that the Association put a lot of effort in the establishment phase, is as follows:

“We express our condolences to the family and loved ones of our friend Birsen Giriş, who lost her life as a result of an accident in Gebze by the school bus. Birsen spent a lot of effort when our association was founded and contributed to the struggle of women and the survival of our association. We are so sorry."