school of Turkey

The total annual costs for preschool, elementary, middle and high school students have increased 34.6 on average year-on-year, according to a recent announcement by Mehmet Balık, the president of the Antalya branch of the Education Workers Union (Eğitim-İş).

Annual costs for preschool students beginning the 2015-2016 academic year were recorded as TL 707.71, while elementary school students this year will face annual expenses of TL 1,153.83.

The families of middle school students will on average incur TL 1,300.05 in education expenses this year, and those of high school students TL 1,426.02.

As most of these expenses will be paid up front for school supplies, uniforms, textbooks and school fees, this has put a major burden on working-class families. ?For someone trying to get by on minimum wage, these expenses are more than one month's salary, and roughly equivalent to 70 percent of the monthly salary of the lowest-paid civil servant,? Balık said. The current monthly minimum wage stands at TL 1,000 ($333).