Minister Under Fire: Education Tenders Flow to AKP-Linked Firms Amid ‘Explaining to Idiots’ Remark

Turkish Education Minister Yusuf Tekin is once again under public scrutiny—not for his policies this time, but for a series of lucrative, non-transparent tenders awarded to companies with close ties to the ruling AKP. The controversy follows his infamous comment, “We’re explaining it as if to idiots,” in response to criticism of the national education curriculum.

Tenders Awarded Without Competition

Under Tekin’s leadership, the Ministry of National Education has frequently used Article 21/B, known as the “invitation-only” method, to award contracts without open bidding. This approach, typically reserved for emergencies, has been increasingly applied to routine projects, raising serious transparency concerns.

A notable beneficiary is Biblo Turizm, a company that has been awarded over 150 million TL worth of contracts for organizing events such as curriculum workshops and the “Century of Türkiye Education Model” activities. This company has consistently secured contracts from the ministry over recent years, including 14 million TL for a 6-day event and 70 million TL for a 25-day program.

Same Network, Multiple Companies, Millions in Contracts

Biblo Turizm isn’t the only entity benefiting. A related company, Maramul Organizasyon, also received a 17 million TL contract, again via the 21/B method. The Life-Long Learning Directorate of the ministry awarded Aress Turizm a staggering 128.6 million TL for a 20-day staff training program.

In yet another case, Çintemani Museum and Art Organization, owned by Alpay Tarhan, secured three separate projects totaling 120 million TL within a single year. Tarhan, a former AKP parliamentary candidate and associate of former minister Mehmet Müezzinoğlu, is also the founder of the Hz. Hatice Foundation, which previously sparked controversy when a public children’s park was transferred to his private company.

Conflict of Interest and Political Connections

The rapid succession of multimillion-lira tenders to politically connected firms has prompted widespread backlash. Critics argue that these practices resemble state-sponsored favoritism, with public funds being funneled into a select circle of pro-government entrepreneurs.

The opposition is calling for an independent investigation into the tender processes. Meanwhile, public reaction has been intensified by Tekin’s dismissive tone toward critics, casting further doubt on the ministry’s commitment to accountability and transparency.