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YÖK to appeal against controversial coefficient ruling
Speaking to reporters ahead of a YÖK meeting on Wednesday, Özcan said YÖK would appeal the ruling. The appeal is expected to be submitted to the court next week. The board gathered for an ordinary meeting yesterday at its headquarters in Ankara. It was expected to deliberate on a recent decision of the 8th Chamber of the Council of State to retain a system that uses a lower coefficient to calculate the university admission examination scores of graduates of vocational high schools.
In a clear challenge, the Higher Education Board has announced that it will appeal a recent decision by the Council of State to retain the coefficient system, which has prevented thousands of vocational high school graduates from enrolling in the university programs of their choice |
In an initial statement issued after the meeting, YÖK said the national university entrance examination would not be delayed.
The coefficient decision came on Monday in the wake of an appeal by the İstanbul Bar Association against a move by YÖK to reduce the difference in the coefficients used to calculate the scores of regular and vocational high school students to 0.13 percent. YÖK is backed by parents of students attending vocational high schools.
The Council of State ruling, however, came as a contradiction to one of its past verdicts. In August of last year, the council ruled that it cannot interfere in YÖK's authority, in the face of an appeal for the abolishment of the coefficient system. A lawyer appealed to the council in May 2008 to abolish the coefficient system. The council said, however, that it was within YÖK's authority to decide on the coefficient issue.
 The Council of State’s ruling on the coefficient system continues to draw criticism throughout Turkey, with various NGOs taking to the streets. General Staff’s coefficient notice sparks questions A news portal has published a notice from a department of the General Staff prompting questions about the Council of State’s coefficient ruling. The notice was forwarded to the General Staff’s Intelligence Department by the 2nd Department of Intelligence, Analysis and Evaluation on Aug. 29, 2009. The notice warned that a move by the Higher Education Board (YÖK) to abolish the coefficient system would clear the way for graduates of religious imam-hatip high schools to enroll in university programs of their choice. The document was published yesterday by aktifhaber.com. The notice bears the signatures of a captain, a colonel, a brigadier general and a lieutenant general. The document argues that children of conservative families will have a growing interest in imam-hatip high schools after the coefficient system is abolished. It also urges the families of regular high school students to file complaints against the YÖK move, arguing that their children would face discrimination if the system is abolished. According to the notice, the demand for dershanes (private schools that offer college prep courses) will grow if the coefficient system is lifted.“After the abolishment of the coefficient system, imam-hatip high schools will be termed ‘schools of Muslims,’ which will create a different and new class in society. This will damage social unity and solidarity,” the document adds. |
The coefficient system was introduced during the Feb. 28 period in an attempt to keep students from religious imam-hatip schools -- classified as vocational schools -- out of universities. The system has been the subject of strong criticism in Turkey as it is unfair toward graduates of vocational schools -- including imam-hatip schools, which have a curriculum that includes religious education -- who want to study at universities.
Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin underlined yesterday that the authority to decide on the coefficient system stays at the hands of the YÖK. “The board decides on its own activities, and court decisions [that contradict this principle] can be criticized and evaluated,” he remarked. “The United Nations Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct state that it is not satisfactory to be impartial.
Judicial bodies also have to look and be perceived as impartial. How is the coefficient ruling perceived by the majority in Turkey?” the minister asked, and added that he regarded the ruling “problematic” in accordance with the UN Bangalore principles.
Civil society continues to slam court ruling
A group of civil society organizations convened on Wednesday in the southern province of Burdur to condemn the coefficient ruling by the Council of State. The gathered representatives complained that the court issued a verdict that was regarded a “shame” by jurists.
“The principle of the rule of law in Turkey has transformed into the rule of the judiciary and judges,” stated lawyer Ömer Bütüner, who also noted that the Council of State ruled three times in the past that YÖK was the authorized body to decide on the coefficient case.
“The court now says the authorized body is itself. It damaged the trust in law with its coefficient rulings,” Bütüner argued.
In the meantime, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) parliamentary group deputy chairman Oktay Vural announced that his party was working on a bill to get rid of the coefficient controversy. “We have started to work on a bill in order to abolish the use of the coefficient system and clear the path of graduates of vocational high schools in their bid to enroll in university programs,” he noted.
In Ankara, protestors placed a symbolic padlock at the door of the Council of State. Protestors called on the court not to override its authority. They also called for freedom for graduates of vocational high schools to enroll in any university program they desire.
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