As schools in Turkey prepared to reopen, a 15-year-old in the southeastern province of Şırnak took to social media to find work instead of getting ready for class, underscoring the economic pressures that are pushing children out of education and into the workforce, the Evrensel news website reported on Wednesday.
In Şırnak, one of Turkey’s poorest provinces, where nearly 40 percent of the population is under 18, many children face a difficult choice between continuing their studies or helping their families survive financially. Social media platforms in the province have seen a rise in posts from children seeking jobs in cafes and restaurants or as babysitters, often for wages far below the minimum.
“The anxiety over their future begins at an early age, and for many, the decision is to abandon school and start working,” said Adnan Şenbayram, head of the Education and Science Workers’ Union (Eğitim-Sen) in Şırnak,. “Many families here earn less than the minimum wage, and children are either working or leaving school for months at a time to become seasonal laborers.”
Şenbayram pointed to inequality in the education system, which classifies schools as “good” or “bad,” as another factor driving students away. Many children feel that if they don’t gain entry to a so-called “good” school, their future job prospects are grim. This, along with the lack of job opportunities for university graduates, leads many students to seek work rather than education. “The government should develop programs to help reintegrate seasonal laborers and dropouts back into schools,” he added.
This crisis is not unique to Şırnak; it reflects a nationwide issue worsened by Turkey’s economic downturn since 2018, which has pushed children into work—often in dangerous environments.
Child labor is a longstanding issue in Turkey, particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged areas. A report by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) found that more than 759,000 children aged 5-17 were engaged in work in 2023, mostly in agriculture, manufacturing or low-wage service jobs. However, a report by Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP Veli Ağbaba claims the number of child workers has surpassed 1 million, noting that official figures only include those aged 15-17.
While Turkey has signed various international conventions, including those set by the International Labour Organization (ILO), prohibiting child labor, enforcement remains a challenge.
