WHO DETERMINES EDUCATION AND HEALTH POLICIES?

The State or Chain Brands?

The emergence of criminal organizations in the health sector, referred to as the "newborn mafia," is not only a sign of economic decline but also of a moral and ethical collapse. This decay is a manifestation of a period where commercial interests have taken precedence over human values.

The developments in Turkey’s education and health sectors over the past 20 years demonstrate how these two essential services have become commercialized and decayed.

Especially the covert privatization process in education has led to a loss of trust in public schools and an increase in inequality of opportunity.

Appointments lacking merit, frequently changing curricula, and the devaluation of quality in education have shaken the education system to its core.

As families seek better futures for their children, they have turned towards private schools, leading to a decline in interest in public schools and transforming education into a major commercial sector.

In this process, teachers have been crushed under low wages and heavy working conditions, while students have struggled to access quality education or have been unable to achieve it.

Indeed, university entrance exam results clearly indicate the deterioration in the quality of education nationwide.

A similar picture emerges in the health sector.

The rapidly increasing number of private hospitals, which stand out with their "hotel comfort" services, highlights that exorbitant fees demanded for a simple examination have made health services inaccessible for many citizens.

Private health insurances, complementary insurances, and these high costs covered by the state budget have become a process that consumes the economic resources of our country in the long term.

The proliferation of giant hospital chains, resembling fast-food brands, has accelerated the commercialization of the health sector.

Just like in education, the growth of these commercial structures in health is leading to the weakening of public services and the collapse of the system.

The commercialization of services that meet the basic needs of society, such as education and health, concerns the general public.

While the country and the people are losing, we see that the structures that profit from these sectors are thriving.

Both health and education systems can only provide fair, equal, and quality services through policies that prioritize the public good and are based on merit and consistency.

Strengthening the state in these areas is essential for the future of society.

20.10.2024

Sevim DALGIÇ GÜL