In Yurtbaşı (Şêxan) neighborhood of Gürpınar district of Van, students can only have access to the internet at the top of some high hills since there has been no network nor internet infrastructure for years.
The Turkish Ministry of National Education launched the Education Infomatics Network (EBA) program for distance learning due to the Covid-19 outbreak. However, in many places in especially the east and south eastern sides of Turkey, there is no internet network. Students who are preparing for the exam fall behind the courses because they cannot reach the EBA, the ones who will enter for the High School Transition System (LGS) cannot prepare for the exam for this reason.
Sevda Yüce is one of them. She says that she is planning to drop out of school since she can not continue under these circumstances anymore, MA reports.
“I could not attend any of the classes since the EBA system has started. So I am very behind all my friends. I have to take the university entrance exams next year, but I have no information about the courses. There is no network in the neighborhood and no one is making an effort to solve this problem. We have to climb high hills to learn about the classes” she explains the situation she is in.
Cennet Bilek is another student from the same village. She is preparing for high school entrance exams. But she has no hope either. Bilek appeals to the authorities:
” When the weather was a little cooler, I was climbing the hills to connect with the EBA system, but now there is full sun, and I do not climb anymore, we students demand a functioning network in our region”
