Teachers in Turkey Face Crisis: Hope Lost, Respect Gone, Violence Rising

The latest survey by the Anadolu Eğitim Sendikası paints a troubling picture of Turkey’s education sector. As the 2025–2026 academic year begins, 74.7% of teachers say they start the year without hope for the future. Beneath this pessimism lies a mix of structural problems: declining professional respect, widespread burnout, unsafe schools, and mistrust in the very institutions meant to represent educators.

Respect Lost, Burnout at Record Levels

One of the survey’s most striking findings is the near-consensus that the teaching profession has lost its social standing. An overwhelming 98.1% of teachers believe their profession has been stripped of its former dignity. This perception directly fuels emotional and physical exhaustion: 94.2% reported suffering from professional burnout.

Teachers say years of heavy workloads, low pay, bureaucratic barriers, and a lack of recognition have eroded not only their motivation but also their ability to deliver quality education.

Adding to the frustration, 93% of participants said professional development seminars brought no real benefits to their skills, dismissing these activities as ineffective and disconnected from classroom realities.

Unfair Appointments and the “Exile” Perception

Beyond daily struggles, teachers also point to the appointment system as a major source of discontent.

• 94.5% strongly oppose oral interview practices, arguing that they open the door to subjective and unfair decisions rather than rewarding merit.

• 81.3% view the assignment of surplus teachers (known as norm fazlası) not as a practical solution to staffing but as a form of “exile appointment.”

• 86.2% reject the district grouping method used in teacher assignments, calling it impractical.

• As a solution, 77.5% favor the revival of the “becayiş” system, which allows teachers to swap positions voluntarily.

The findings reveal a teaching workforce that not only feels trapped but also systematically excluded from fair career opportunities.

Schools Without Safety Nets

The survey also highlights an alarming lack of security in schools. An astonishing 90.7% of teachers reported that their school has no security personnel on duty. This absence leaves educators vulnerable to threats from both students and outsiders.

Even more concerning, 96.1% said current legal protections against violence toward teachers are entirely inadequate. In recent years, reports of assaults on teachers have risen, amplifying fears that schools are no longer safe places for either educators or students.

Teachers argue that unless tougher legal measures and stricter enforcement are introduced, the rise in violence will continue to discourage young professionals from entering the field.

Growing Distrust in Representation

Perhaps most revealing is the erosion of trust in collective bargaining processes. According to the survey, 96.9% of teachers no longer believe unions act in their interest. Many describe recent collective agreement negotiations as “a staged performance” rather than a genuine effort to protect teachers’ rights.

This sense of abandonment deepens feelings of isolation, leaving many educators convinced that they have no effective voice in shaping the future of their profession.

A System at Breaking Point

The Anadolu Eğitim Sendikası survey makes one point abundantly clear: teachers, the foundation of the education system, feel increasingly unsupported, unsafe, and undervalued. With burnout soaring, morale at rock bottom, and structural injustices persisting, the teaching profession faces a legitimacy crisis that threatens the very quality of education in Turkey.

Unless measures are taken to restore respect, fairness, and security, the country risks losing not just teachers’ motivation, but also its ability to deliver a strong and sustainable education system.