Turkey: Recep Tayyip has now the power of assigning university rectors and deans

World News Nilgun Salim
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The massive political power granted to Recep Tayyip Erdogan started to raise concern even among Turkish teachers and students.

The measures adopted by the Ankara Administration after the failed coup attempt included in offering the president the power to assign rectors.

According to Recep Tayyip, the new order will avoid potential clashes between the ‘clans’ from the educational environment.

On the other hand, teachers and students are frightened by the new set of measures. According to them, this will only increase the security in campuses and their freedom to have an opinion will disappear.

Shortly after July 15, the procedure of choosing rectors in all Turkish universities was suspended by the government. Instead, the President is in charge of electing one person from three candidates proposed by the Council of Higher Education.

If he is not pleased by the options presented by the council of education, Recep Tayyip has the liberty of appointing someone else.

The initiative meant to eliminate every ‘enemy’ of the Turkish state from the country was launched by the Ankara Administration days after the coup attempt. The most affected field was the educational one. Hundreds of teachers and principals were arrested or suspended from their positions.

According to the local press, the Council of Higher Education required the resignation of 1,577 deans.

Turkish officials claim the new process will avoid the polarization among teachers and students during the elections for the position of rector.

‘We are aware on how much this has affected our universities.’ said government spokesman Numan Kurtulmus.