Turkish MP’s deliver punches over education bill

Turkish lawmakers from opposition and ruling parties have exchanged harsh words and got into a punch-up at a parliamentary commission. Thursday’s parliamentary commission was discussing a bill on extending compulsory education from eight to twelve years when the brawl broke out. When education commission Chairman Nabi Avci announced that discussions on Article 3 of the bill were completed, deputies from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) walked towards him and said that the talks had not been completed. Afterwards, deputies from Justice and Development Party (AK Party) responded to CHP lawmakers, and a dispute involving harsh words and fist fight erupted among some 30 deputies. AK Party parliamentary group Deputy Chairman Nurettin Canikli, submitted the bill in late February. According to the bill, the current eight-year-long compulsory primary school education will be extended to 12 years to include four years of high school education. Currently, primary school is an eight-year, continuous basic education which covers four-year middle school curriculum. If the bill is approved to become law, middle schools will be re-established as the basic primary school education will be divided into two levels.