Greece to close 4 Turkish schools in Western Thrace due to declining student numbers

In Western Thrace, where there is a significant Turkish population, reports indicate that four Turkish minority primary schools will close due to declining student numbers.

The Greek press reports that the affected schools are Hacioren, Keziren, and Payamlar in the Rhodope region and Karakoy in Xanthi.

This decision added to the growing list of Turkish minority schools closed since 2011 because of insufficient enrollment, reducing the number of such schools in Western Thrace to 86.

In 1995, Western Thrace had 231 minority schools. Since 2011, numerous Turkish minority schools have either closed or been merged as part of Greece’s administrative reforms.

While the Greek government describes these closures as “suspensions” because of low student numbers, local parents view them as a strategy to push minority students into Greek state schools.