It has become necessary to make the following statement in view of the news reports in some media organs today that “sealed box holding TEOG (Transition from Basic Education to Secondary Education) exam questions broken into, officials recorded the incident.”

The boxes that contain the exam documents are transported by sealed steel vehicles. The documents are protected in boxes with double seals and the documents are held in two sealed plastic bags. The exam documents are handed over to the exam centers at the provinces by curriers and guards and all the procedures are recorded and signed. At times during transportation one of the seals may be harmed. This is a rare situation but even then the boxes cannot be accessed.

In the province in question in the reports the seals in two different boxes were harmed but officials determined that the boxes were not opened and this was officially recorded. One of the boxes in question was opened at the school it was destined to and officials determined that the plastic bag that contained the exam documents was unharmed and had not been accessed. Officials recorded the incident. The other box is being held under protection to be used in the exam at the exam center.

There is no security problem that will jeopardize the questions or the safety of the exam. In fact the exams that were held today were held in a secure atmosphere and the same sensitivity will be displayed at the exams tomorrow. 

It is obvious that such reports and similar reports are the work of those who do not know the security procedures involved in this operation and who want to create provocations to create public anxiety and disturb our children who will be participating in the exams. We invite the concerned media establishments to be more careful and sensitive on issues that will hurt the morale and motivation of our students.

Our Ministry has taken all the necessary precautions for the safety of the exams. There is no reason for our students and their parents to feel any concern in view of these false reports.

We would like to respectfully inform the public.

Press and Public Relations Department