URFA - High school student Merve Akpınar was not admitted to her school by the administrators.

 

13-year-old Merve Akpınar, who started handball in the Haliliye district of Urfa under the leading of physical education teachers and came to the agenda of Turkey with her interview recently, was not admitted to Konuklu Imam Hatip Secondary School, where she was a student.

 

Merve went to Konuklu Imam Hatip Secondary School with journalists and wanted to show the field where she trained. However, in this situation, the school administrators did not allow Merve's school promotion, saying that in accordance with the instructions of the Haliliye Directorate of National Education, there would be no shooting in the school and its garden. School administrators did not allow Merve and the journalists accompanying her to the school.

 

Merve said: ‘’I want a new sports hall to be opened in my school and a field to be built. I did not want the girls after me to have difficulties in the hot sun and on the ground.’’

 

It was stated that Bayram Kaplan, who was Merve's teacher, was warned by the Haliliye Directorate of National Education not to make any statements to the journalists.

 

Stating that she plays on the right wing because she is left-handed in handball, Merve said: ‘’It was very difficult to play on the school's soil field. Flies were in our mouths. The white socks on our feet were turning brown. It was the same color as the soil. Despite the high-level sun, we achieved this success. We want a new sports hall to be built for us.’’

 

Statement from the district governorate

 

In the statement made by Haliliye District Governorship, it was said: ‘’The statements made in the news that our student and her family were not allowed to attend school do not reflect the truth. Our student, her family and press were hosted at our school during this process, but press left the school without waiting for the result of permission.’’

 

Support came after the explanation

 

Merve, who came to Ankara as the guest of the Handball Federation, used the following expressions in her interview: ‘’Teacher Bayram chose me, thank you very much. When I first started, they ostracized me saying, ‘You are a girl, you cannot wear shorts, you cannot play with males.’ Then I said, ‘No, why shouldn’t I play?’ Then I made a promise to myself. ‘I will change the fate of the girls in my village.’ I will work on my own, do my own profession, and continue to play sports so that I can break down their prejudices. I have always continued sports because of that, and I do not think I will ever quit.’’

 

Reaction from High School Feminist Wave

 

High School Feminist Wave reacted to the issue on social media. High school students shared: ‘’We will continue to be everywhere with our shorts, with our sports, we will not bow to your reactionary siege!’’