Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Council President Dr. Yusuf Ekinci expressed his satisfaction with being with the members at the first meeting of the new year and stated that they will be following the problems of the sector in the coming period.

TOBB Vice President Selçuk Öztürk expressed his thanks to the members for their efforts, stating that they followed-up all the problems together throughout the pandemic and that the public and private sectors did more than they could.

Dr. Muammer Yıldız, General Manager of MEB Private Special Education Institutions answered the questions of the members by stating with sensitivity that it is among the priority objectives for schools to start face-to-face education as soon as possible by looking at the course of the pandemic.

With his presentation, Council Advisor Prof. Dr. Alipaşa Ayas discussed the effects of Covid-19 on the sector and revealed how education is affected, the status of educational institutions in the world and what can be done with examples.

Councilors drew attention to the need for the start of education as soon as possible by taking the necessary measures as a common idea, and also highlighted that it is important that scholarship exams can be held face-to-face.

Members united in the idea that VAT, which has been reduced from 8% to 1% in education, should be abolished or made continuous, said that private education and rehabilitation centers have been negatively affected.

Industry representatives, who also have assessments of students being taught free of charge in Private Education Institutions, said there is a need for regulation on the subject. Noting that fighting illegal courses in the sector is important in preventing unfair competition, members said that programs cancelled in various courses are also putting a challenge on the industry.

In addition, it was stated by the publishers with sensitivity that the auxiliary resource books distributed free of charge by the Ministry of National Education harmed the sector. In publishing life, members said they are in favor of the State being a rule-maker and controller, and emphasized that it is right that publishing activity should be carried out by the private sector.