Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

At the meeting, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that the education sector is one of the sectors most affected by coronavirus, and explained that there are many problems, especially in private educational institutions. “We all know that education is a very large and special community which determines our future, so we need to keep our sector afloat in this process. As one of us, we know very well our Minister's interest and sensitivity in all these matters. Finally, again, with the initiatives of our Minister of Ziya Selçuk, the reduction of VAT in the education sector to 1%, which we have demanded for many years, has provided an important morale boost for our education sector. We urge this discount to be made continuous.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that the opening of schools with gradual and rarefied processes as of September 21^st is a pleasing development for the sector and citizens, and thanked the Minister of National Education Selçuk, who has consistently supported the education sector.

- Minister Selçuk

Minister of National Education Ziya Selcuk said in his speech that they are striving for permanent solutions to the VAT problem. Selçuk said that they listen to voices from the sector about opening schools, “Our goal is to open schools. But it would be very unfair to say that the Ministry of Education prevents schools from opening. In this regard, we need to know that the Science Council, the Ministry of Health and many components are being looked at and a joint decision has been made.”

Minister Selcuk, who noted that both the demands related to the epidemic and the demands expressed for decades have reached him, said that they are following-up decisions such as opening schools.