Yusuf Tekin's New Concern: 'We Must Reconcile the Ottoman Era and the Republic'

Turkish Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin visited Rize, engaging with students at a primary school and local government officials before meeting with members of the ruling AK Party. Tekin, who began his political involvement in Rize at age 13, reflected on his academic background as a political scientist studying Turkey's political development.

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We need to reconcile the Ottoman era and the Republic.

During his address to AK Party members, Tekin highlighted the significant changes in Turkey since the party's rise to power in 2002. He recalled President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's declaration in 2001 that "nothing will be the same in Turkey anymore," underscoring the profound transformations that have occurred.

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We need to reconcile the Ottoman era and the Republic.

Tekin stressed that the AK Party's achievements would not have been possible without the steadfast support of the Turkish electorate and the party's grassroots organizations. He urged party members to acknowledge and applaud the citizens and organizations who have consistently stood behind President Erdoğan through all elections since 2002, despite facing opposition and obstacles from "all tutelary powers."

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We need to reconcile the Ottoman era and the Republic.

He also touched upon the transformation in education, contrasting his own school days with the present. Tekin recalled ordering textbooks from a single stationery shop in Rize, with deliveries often delayed by months. Today, he noted, students receive updated textbooks on the first day of school, a stark difference from the past when classes had over seventy students.

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We need to reconcile the Ottoman era and the Republic.