Govt to fill thousands of vacancies in courts, schools

ISTANBUL: The Turkish government announced on Sunday plans to appoint thousands of new recruits to its judiciary and education sector, filling the vacancies of those purged in the wake of last week’s failed military coup.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said that 3,000 new judges and state prosecutors would be appointed, while Education Minister Ismet Yilmaz announced the recruitment of 20,000 new teachers.

Since the July 15 coup attempt, more than 50,000 civil servants have been fired, suspended or detained, including nearly 3,000 members of the judiciary, and 21,000 teachers had their licences revoked.

“There will be no inconvenience to our citizens. We are taking steps to see to that,” Bozdag said in comments made in a broadcast interview later carried by state news agency Anadolu.

The justice minister said that the government had already scheduled 1,500 November exams for prospective judges and prosecutors. That number has been doubled in light of “recent developments,” he told broadcaster Kanal 7. Meanwhile, children who had once attended private schools are to be taught by state-approved teachers. “To our pupils we say the following: No one will be at a disadvantage. We will provide our youngsters with a far better education than before,” Yilmaz was quoted by Anadolu as saying. — dpa