Parents paying for after-school courses, language classes or vocational training in Türkiye may want to take a closer look at the paperwork of the institution they choose. The Ministry of National Education (MEB) has instructed provincial authorities to crack down on private education institutions that offer programs outside the field written on their license, Daily Sabah reported on October 8, 2026, citing Anadolu Agency.
The instructions, sent by the ministry's Directorate General for Private Education Institutions, follow amendments to Law No. 5580 on Private Education Institutions. The related regulation took effect on July 31, 2026.
What is now prohibited
Private institutions must stick to the type of institution stated in their establishment permit and operating license. The ministry highlighted two kinds of violation. The first is adding a subject from a different field without approval, for example a course that starts teaching material outside its authorized area. The second is running programs that do not match the licensed institution type at all, with music, foreign language and beauty specialist training given as examples.
The penalties are strict. Where an institution is found offering programs belonging to a different institution type, the license can be revoked directly. According to the report, the usual graduated steps of warnings, escalating fines or temporary closure do not apply in these cases, and authorities are to act without delay.
How inspections will work
Inspectors will compare each institution's license with what it actually does in practice. That means checking course timetables, student registration contracts, advertisements and the content of classes.
What it means for families
For families, including expat parents arranging Turkish lessons, exam preparation or extracurricular activities for their children, the practical message is to make sure an institution is licensed for the specific kind of teaching it is selling. A license revocation partway through a term could disrupt a child's schedule and raise questions about fees already paid; the report did not address refunds.
Before enrolling, it is reasonable to ask to see the institution's MEB license and check that the program type matches, and to read the registration contract carefully. Local provincial or district directorates of national education can confirm whether an institution is properly authorized.
Sources
Photo: Sadrettin / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
