This section presents information on the conditions of service of teachers in Türkiye.

Planning Policy

The Ministry of National Education carries out its activities for students and teacher employment policies in line with the goals and objectives of Development Plans, Medium-Term Programs, Presidential Annual Programs, and Ministry of National Education Strategic Plans.

Introduction to the Profession

In order to enter the teaching profession, in addition to the requirements for becoming a civil servant according to the Civil Servants Law, special requirements set out in the Ministry of National Education Regulation on Teacher Appointment and Relocation must also be met.

The conditions for appointment as a permanent teacher under paragraph (a) of Article 4 of the Civil Servants Law No. 657 or as a contracted teacher under paragraph (b) of Article 4 of the same law are as follows:

• The graduated higher education program must be suitable for the field to be assigned according to the Ministry’s decision on the determination of those to be appointed as teachers,
• For those who graduated from higher education institutions abroad, the equivalence of their higher education and/or pedagogical formation certificates to higher education institutions or programs in Türkiye must be accepted by the Presidency of the Council of Higher Education,
• Those who will be appointed within the scope of the first appointment must have obtained the base score determined for the fields they will be appointed from KPSS and above and must not have received a penalty requiring dismissal from the civil service or teaching profession.

Within the framework of the needs determined numerically by MoNE, appointments as permanent teachers are carried out electronically by MoNE (at central level) by taking into account the KPSS exam results and the province/school preferences of the candidates.

In appointments as contracted teachers, applications are received from teacher candidates, three times as many candidates as the announced quota are determined according to KPSS score superiority and subjected to an oral exam. Appointments are carried out according to the oral exam success score (the score obtained by adding 50% of the The Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS) score and 50% of the score obtained from the oral exam) after the institution preferences received from the candidates.

In line with the provisions of the Law on the Teaching Profession, teacher candidates who wish to be appointed as contracted teachers after 1/9/2025 will be admitted to National Education Academy according to the score superiority of National Education Academy Entrance Examination (MEB-AGS) conducted by the Measurement, Selection and Placement Center for each teaching field within the quota determined by subjects.

Inauguration

Those appointed as contracted teachers are subjected to a training program consisting of training and practice tasks within the scope of the Regulation on Candidate Teaching and Teaching Career Steps. Candidacy period of candidate teachers cannot be less than 1 year and more than 2 years. Candidate teachers who are deemed successful as a result of the evaluation made by the Candidacy Evaluation Commission are removed from candidacy and their appointments are made.

In line with the provisions of the Law on Teaching Profession, candidates who successfully complete the preparatory training within the scope of contracted teacher employment to be made after 01/09/2025 are appointed to educational institutions as contracted teachers according to the preponderance of points in line with their preferences, sign a contract with the provincial/district national education directorates and start their duties.

Professional Status

The forms of employment in MoNE-affiliated schools are permanent and contractual appointments, and temporary status where needed. The common practice is permanent and contractual status. Contracted teachers who have completed three years of contractual employment are appointed to teaching positions in their localities upon request. Those who are appointed to teaching positions work in the same place for at least one more year. Contracted personnel who have completed their term of service and earned the right to permanent status have a ‘lifetime’ job guarantee. There are various legal regulations on the working conditions of teachers in pre-primary, primary, secondary, vocational and technical education and adult education. The Law on the Teaching Profession regulates the selection, training, appointment, rights, duties and responsibilities, rewards and punishments, and career progression of teachers. According to this law, teachers are:

1. Raises its students as virtuous people who are loyal to Atatürk’s revolutions and principles and Ata türk’s Nationalism as expressed in the Constitution, who adopt, protect and develop the national, moral, humanitarian, spiritual and cultural values of the Turkish Nation, who love their family, ho meland, nation and always strive to glorify them, who know their duties and responsibilities towards the Republic of Türkiye, which is a democratic, secular and social State of law based on human rights and the fundamental principles at the beginning of the Constitution, and who have turned these into behavior.
2. Strives for the physical, mental, emotional, social and moral development of students and cooperates with colleagues, family and parents in this direction.
3. Takes into account the learning styles, interests and abilities of students and respects their personal rights.
4. Makes efforts to protect students from all kinds of negative words, attitudes and behaviors in the educational environment.
5. Within the framework of the curricula determined by the Ministry, they select educational tools and materials suitable for the developmental characteristics and learning needs of students and apply teaching methods and techniques appropriate to these characteristics and needs.
6. Plans and conducts education and training activities in accordance with the general objectives and basic principles of Turkish national education set out in the Basic Law on National Education and the curricula determined by the Ministry.
7. Uses in-school and out-of-school opportunities to carry out education and training activities effectively.
8. Collaborates with colleagues to improve the quality of educational activities and supports the management of the educational institution.
9. Develops himself/herself professionally without interrupting the educational activities and responsibilities in the educational institution where he/she works.

According to the law, teachers may not be assigned to work and activities that are not related to their profession without their consent, except for the matters clearly specified in the legislation and in cases of state of emergency, general disaster and epidemic disease.

Teachers are subject to general laws such as the Basic Law on National Education, the Law on Primary Education and Training on Civil Servants Law on Retirement Fund Law on , the Social Security and General Health Insurance in cases where there are no provisions in their special laws.

Measures for Those Who Take a Break in Duty

In schools affiliated to the MoNE in Türkiye, teachers who are absent from work with or without an excuse are replaced by one of the available teachers in the school. In case of need, provincial/district directorates of national education can make temporary assignments between schools and institutions.

Supportive Measures

Support for teachers in MoNE schools is provided by the Ministry, the school administration and the PTA. This support includes seminars, peer sharing, in-service training, provision of teaching materials, distance learning, etc. MoNE has implemented the Teacher Information Network (TIN) and EBA as a rich learning resource for teachers. School guidance services provide support to teachers on various issues. Since new teachers are candidate teachers for the first year, special training programs can be implemented to prepare and develop them. MoNE organizes a number of social and cultural activities for teachers in cooperation with other institutions and organizations.

In addition, there is the ÖğretmenİZ Platform where the works, projects that make a difference and good practice examples of teachers working within our Ministry are shared. “ÖğretmenİZ” magazine, in which original works of our teachers are published quarterly, is published. “ÖğretmenİZ” video channel, in which the works and good practices of our teachers in 81 provinces are published in 18 different categories, is broadcast. In addition, thanks to the collaborations with different companies, the “Gratitude Campaign for the Heroes of Education”, where special discounts are offered to teachers, has been made permanent. In addition, at the beginning of each academic year, teachers are provided with a financial support under the name of preparation allowance for the academic year.

Salaries

The salaries of teachers working as permanent staff in schools and institutions affiliated to the Ministry of National Education are determined and paid according to the degrees and grades in the Civil Servants Law No. 657. Accordingly, the entry grade to a profession is determined according to the service class of that profession (e.g. education and training services class for teachers) and the educational level of the individual. Progression within the profession is one step for each year of service and additional steps for further education (one step for a master’s degree and two steps for a doctorate degree). Each grade progression (one grade every three years) also means a salary increase. Teachers are also paid educational compensation and fringe benefits at a rate determined by the Presidency each year in line with Law No. 657. In addition to the main salary payment mentioned above, teachers also receive some additional payments. These include compensation according to career level, education and training preparation allowance, additional course fee, foreign language compensation and social benefits.

Working Time and Holidays

In primary schools and high schools, the duration of the school year shall not be less than 180 working days. In the Decree on the number of the Ministry of National Education in weekly course hours to be taught or deemed to be taught by the administrators and teachers of return for salaries and additional course fees, the qualifications of those who will be assigned to teach, and other similar issues are determined.

Teachers working in educational institutions are categorized into three groups: pre-primary and classroom teachers, general knowledge and vocational courses teachers, and workshop and laboratory teachers.

Pre-primary and classroom teachers are required to teach 18 hours per week for salary and 12 hours per week for additional course fee; general knowledge and vocational courses teachers are required to teach 15 hours per week for salary and up to 15 hours for additional course fee, of which 6 hours are compulsory and 9 hours are optional; workshop and laboratory teachers are required to teach 20 hours per week for salary and up to 24 hours for additional course fee, of which 20 hours are compulsory and 4 hours are optional.

Pre-primary and classroom teachers teach 6 hours a day and 30 hours a week, as they carry out their duties in the same classroom without interruption. According to the Law on Primary Education and Training, teachers have two months of leave during the summer vacation. On official holidays (Saturdays and Sundays) and other holidays (national holidays, etc.), teachers are allowed to take leave without any deductions from their salaries.

Promotion and Advancement

The teaching profession consists of three career steps: teacher, specialist teacher and head teacher. Accordingly, in order to become a specialist teacher; at least ten years of service in teaching, no penalty of suspension of progression and completion of the training organized by National Education Academy for specialist teachers are required. In order to become a head teacher, at least ten years of service as a specialist teacher, no penalty of suspension of progression and completion of the training organized by National Education Academy for head teachers must be met.

Teachers can be appointed as school administrators as part of the secondary duty in accordance with the Regulation on the Selection and Appointment of Administrators to Educational Institutions Affiliated with the Ministry of National Education. Accordingly, school administrator appointments are made for four years. It is not possible to serve as an administrator with the same title in the same educational institution for more than eight years.

Those who will be appointed as principals, deputy principals or assistant principals for the first time and those who have previously served as administrators and are currently working as teachers can apply for the f irst time assignment. The first-time assignment to administrators is made according to the results of the written exam, the evaluation to be made on the evaluation form and the oral exam to be made on the oral exam form.

Administrator appointments to Provincial/District Directorates of National Education are made in line with the provisions of the Regulation on Appointment of Ministry of National Education Personnel for Promotion, Change of Title and Relocation.

Relocations

Appointments of teachers through relocation shall be finalized within the framework of the appointment plans and programs made every year in a way not to affect the educational activities. Relocations of teachers due to health and life safety excuses shall be made during the year without being subject to the relocation calendar, and relocations due to other excuses shall be made during semester and/or summer vacations. Displacements of teachers due to excuses and voluntary relocations are made according to the superiority of service points, taking into account the Ministry’s need for teachers and the teacher’s preference. Teachers and administrators are given service points for each calendar year they serve, taking into account the geographical situation, economic and social development level of their duty places, the characteristics of the educational institution, transportation conditions and meeting the service requirements.

It is essential that tenured teachers serve at least three academic years in the service region or areas to which they are assigned by the Ministry. Teachers are assigned by the Ministry to provincial/district offices or directly to educational institutions. In case the Ministry assigns teachers to provincial/district offices, their duty stations in the province where they are assigned are determined by the governors upon the proposal of the provincial director of national education, taking into account their service points and qualifications. However, contracted teachers cannot be reassigned for three years, except for life safety and health excuses. In relocations based on the excuse of family unity, the spouse of the teacher employed pursuant to this article is subject to this teacher. Contracted teachers shall be subject to the candidacy process prescribed for candidate teachers. Contracted teachers who have completed three years of service as required by the contract shall be appointed to teaching positions in the place where they are located upon their request. Those appointed to teacher positions shall serve for at least one more year in the same place, and the provisions on candidacy shall not apply to them.

Dismissal

The termination of the civil service of teachers occurs in various ways. According to the Civil Servants Law, a teacher’s civil service is terminated in cases where it is later discovered that he/she does not meet any of the conditions for being recruited as a civil servant or loses any of these conditions during his/her civil service; withdraws from civil service; retires due to retirement, retirement age, disability or death. In addition, a person’s civil service may be terminated by the decision of the Supreme Disciplinary Board (HDB).

In addition, according to the Law on the Teaching Profession, those who are convicted of the crimes of manufacturing and trafficking in drugs or stimulants, facilitating the use of drugs or stimulants, buying, accepting or possessing drugs or stimulants for use or using drugs or stimulants, lewd acts, obscenity, prostitution and crimes against sexual immunity as set out in the Turkish Penal Code cease to be teachers.

Those who are appointed as contracted teachers according to the Principles Regarding the Employment of Contracted Personnel; those who are appointed as contracted teachers according to the Principles Regarding the Employment of Contracted Personnel, who are subsequently found not to have any of the qualifications required for recruitment, who subsequently lose any of the qualifications required for recruitment, who are absent from their duties for three unexcused and uninterrupted days or for a total of ten days within the contract period, who are in cooperation with terrorist organizations, who assist these organizations, who use or make public facilities and resources available to support these organizations, who make propaganda for these organizations, their contract shall be terminated unilaterally by the relevant public institutions and organizations in case of any of the cases. In addition, the contracted teacher may unilaterally terminate the contract with one month’s notice.

Retirement and Pensions

Within the framework of various laws regulating issues such as length of service, monthly amount, age requirement, date of first employment, disability, invalidity, social security status, each individual is evaluated in terms of unique retirement criteria. After determining from which social security status the individual will be retired, retirement procedures are carried out. In terms of all social security statuses, except for academic staff, the latest working age is 65.