The Kars Newspaper
A major protest erupted in Kars as educators and union members gathered to condemn non-transparent teacher and administrator appointments in project schools. Organised by the Kars Branch of the Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim Sen), the crowd staged a sit-in demonstration in front of the Provincial Directorate of National Education, carrying a banner that read "Interviews are the killers of justice
Merit vs. Political Alliances
Addressing the crowd, Eğitim Sen Kars Branch President Hakan Topçu criticized the current interview system for systematically excluding experienced and qualified education workers in favor of political connections and nepotism. Pointing out a specific disqualification, Topçu asked: "Did you eliminate our applicant administrator simply because his name is Ahmet Kaya? What is the real criterion here—professional competence or political alignment?" The union strictly stated that schools should never be used as political tools and demanded immediate transparency, meritocracy, and justice in the public education system.