Türkiye orders local private schools to drop foreign names
The Education Ministry has ordered all local private schools to drop their foreign names and adopt Turkish titles by Oct. 1, 2026, to protect national values and prevent cultural erosion.
The sweeping mandate requires previously licensed institutions to change their current designations to comply with the revised Private Educational Institutions Regulation. Minority schools, international facilities and language courses remain strictly exempt from the new rule and will continue to operate under their established identities.
Authorities will evaluate proposed names based on their alignment with the general goals of Turkish national education. The regulation dictates names must carry a specific Turkish meaning and respect the moral, human and cultural values of the Turkish nation.
The legislative shift aims to prevent cultural degeneration, identity erosion, linguistic alienation and any negative impact on students’ psychosocial development. Officials warned they will reject any names that conflict with these constitutional principles regarding the preservation of national culture.
