Thousands of students' whereabouts unknown in occupied territories

An investigation conducted by a parliamentary committee in the occupied territories has unveiled a concerning reality: between 4,000 to 10,000 individuals with student status remain unaccounted for, as reported by the "immigration department." This revelation comes in the wake of a scandal involving fake degrees and corruption within higher education.

According to the PIO, a report in Yeni Douzen has brought attention to these findings, highlighting a report presented by the opposition PTK in parliament. The committee's vice-chair, Sila Ushar Injirli, emphasized the gravity of the situation during a press conference, urging accountability from the government.

Toufan Erheurman, chairman of the PTK, criticized the government's handling of the matter, stressing the political responsibility of those who have allowed education and living costs to become burdensome for citizens.

Injirli raised concerns about the lack of oversight in higher education, particularly regarding the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Board (YÖDAK), citing a failure to fulfill its duties and communicate with the Ministry of Education. The discrepancy in student numbers and the inability to track their whereabouts further compounds the issue.

Regarding educational institutions in the occupied territories, Injirli revealed that there are 39 such institutions regulated by the ''Ministry of Education,'' resulting in 12,000 vacancies. The ''immigration department'' reported 4,691 active students and 5,520 inactive students, raising questions about their whereabouts and the efficacy of oversight measures.

PTK's chairman emphasized the need for tighter controls, highlighting the disparity between the number of universities and active students, which points to systemic inefficiencies and potential mismanagement.

The investigation underscores broader challenges in the education sector and calls for urgent reforms to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective governance in higher education institutions in the occupied territories.