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Education Minister Yusuf Tekin said the ministry is preparing legal action against Meta over the effects of its platforms on children. Tekin spoke to reporters after returning from a visit to the United Arab Emirates.
Asked about families who have sued Meta, Tekin said: “Yes, we are in preparation right now. We are also considering filing one.” He said exposure to content unsuitable for children’s age harms their academic and personal development, and that the ministry would start a process like those opened in the United States and the European Union.
Tekin said the Education Ministry is not the main body managing the issue in Türkiye. The trade, industry and transport ministries carry out related work, he said, but the Education Ministry would join to show its determined stance.
Asked whether the case would target harmful content, he said Meta should either make such content inaccessible to children or approve it in a way that does not harm them.
Tekin said the ministry cannot control social media. Mobile phones are banned in schools and students receive warnings, but children use social media at home, he said. He called on content creators and social media companies to take responsibility. He added that attendance at the ministry’s mandatory Parent School program is 91 percent this year.
Tekin said the ministry increased guidance activities in schools and prepared training content with guidance teachers. Police assignments, patrols, and camera renewals are carried out in coordination with other ministries.
For the 2026-2027 academic year, 1,015 school police officers are assigned to fixed duty at 1,102 schools, and 2,170 private security guards are employed. A total of 31,000 school garden attendants work for nine months under a public employment program. Also, 10,961 safe education coordination officers stay in contact with administrations at 25,248 schools, while 7,008 patrol teams operate at 23,075 schools during entry and exit hours.
Tekin said the ministry is assessing the 2027 budget draft for a more permanent arrangement for garden attendants. Options include retired police officers, retired non-commissioned officers, village guards, and night watchmen.
The ministry plans to translate two books on the Turkic world into the languages of five Turkic states and, if ready, present copies to leaders by Oct. 29, Tekin said. He added that gastronomy high schools operate in seven provinces and that the ministry plans a vocational school in Istanbul with the National Defense Ministry.
Tekin said new schools are needed in fast-growing areas and in places such as Sanliurfa, a province in southeastern Türkiye.
On hiring professional school managers, he said the ministry does not plan a dual management structure, though it could discuss the idea. Under current regulations, being a school principal is a second duty for teachers.
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