Student Oath (Turkey)

Student Oath or Student Pledge (Turkish: Öğrenci Andı) is the oath that was recited in school at the beginning of every school day. It was used until 2013, among other things, in primary schools in Turkey. After the regular morning singing the national anthem İstiklâl Marşı before class, the oath of was auditioned by a boy or a girl, or some groups of 3–4 students and repeated by all other students.

History of the Student Oath

1933

Children's Day

According to Afet İnan's book, Reşit Galip who was the Minister of National Education at the time, composed the text of the "Student Oath" (or "Student Pledge", Turkish: Öğrenci Andı) on April 23, 1933 (Children's Day)^[1] The Board of Education and Edification of the Ministry of National Education introduced this text as the "Student Oath", with the direction number 101 and dated May 10, 1933. In accordance with the direction of the Board of Education and Edification, the Ministry of National Education issued the circular number 1749/42 and dated May 18, 1933 about the "Student Pledge". Students must repeat the oath each day.

Reşit Galip's original text

10th Anniversary of the Republic

Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk) used the phrase "Ne mutlu Türküm diyene" (How happy is the one who says "I am a Turk") in his speech delivered for the 10th Anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, on October 29, 1933 (Republic Day)^[2]

1972

50th Anniversary of the Battle of Dumlupınar

To the purpose of usage for the 50th Anniversary of the victory over Greek forces at Dumlupınar in 1922 (Victory Day), with the article No. 78 of the regulation about elementary schools, published in the Resmî Gazete No. 14291 dated August 29, 1972, last phrases including "Ne mutlu Türküm diyene" (How happy is the one who says "I am a Turk") were added to the existing "Student Oath".

Text of 1972 edition

Turkish:

Türküm, doğruyum, çalışkanım. Yasam, küçüklerimi korumak, büyüklerimi saymak, yurdumu, milletimi özümden çok sevmektir. Ülküm yükselmek, ileri gitmektir. Varlığım Türk varlığına armağan olsun.

Ey bu günümüzü sağlayan, Ulu Atatürk; açtığın yolda, kurduğun ülküde, gösterdiğin amaçta hiç durmadan yürüyeceğime ant içerim.

Ne mutlu Türküm diyene.

English:

I am a Turk, honest and hardworking. My principle is to protect the younger to respect the elder, to love my homeland and my nation more than myself. My ideal is to rise, to progress. My existence shall be dedicated to the Turkish existence.

O Great Atatürk, who had created our life of today; on the path that you have paved, in the country that you established, I swear to walk incessantly with the purposes that you have set.

How happy is the one who says "I am a Turk."

1997

Text of 1997 edition

Turkish:

Türküm, doğruyum, çalışkanım. İlkem, küçüklerimi korumak, büyüklerimi saymak, yurdumu, milletimi, özümden çok sevmektir. Ülküm, yükselmek, ileri gitmektir.

Ey büyük Atatürk! Açtığın yolda, gösterdiğin hedefe durmadan yürüyeceğime ant içerim.

Varlığım Türk varlığına armağan olsun. Ne mutlu Türküm diyene !

English :

I am a Turk, honest and hardworking. My principle is to protect the younger to respect the elder, to love my homeland and my nation more than myself. My ideal is to rise, to progress.

O Great Atatürk ! On the path that you have paved, I swear to walk incessantly toward the aims that you have set.

My existence shall be dedicated to the Turkish existence. How happy is the one who says "I am a Turk!".

2013

Annullment

On 8 September 2013, the practice of reciting Student Oath is abolished with the notice in the Official Register. ^[3]

See also

• Pledge of Allegiance USA

References

External links

• The recent legal debate in Turkey on the compulsory student oath is addressed in the article by Necati Polat, "A Tradition in Delivering Injustice: Judiciary and Rights in Turkey", Insight Turkey (October 2011).
• Onuncu Yıl Nutuk (Onuncu Yıl Söylevi) in Google Videos. (Turkish)
• Talip Kurşun, 'Andımız' tartışılamaz mı? (Is 'our oath' indisputable ?), Radikal, September 29, 2005. (Turkish)