Today in History – 7 July

The Child Prodigy Act

Drafted by Minister of National Education Hasan Ali Yücel, the Child Prodigy Act number 5245 was enacted on July 7, 194 under the name “The Law on Sending İdil Biret and Suna Kan Abroad to Receive Music Instruction.”

The said law made it possible to send “child prodigies” selected by a board created by the Minister of Education abroad for education. The children were to be accompanied by their parents for the duration of their education abroad and all expenses would be met by the government.

Then-president İsmet İnönü was the biggest advocate of the law. After it was passed, seven year-old İdil Biret (piano) and twelve year-old Suna Kan (violin) were sent to France to study at the Conservatory of Paris. The expenditures of both children were met by the government until they reached the age of 16.

The scope of the law was expanded in 1956 and it was renamed “The Law on the State-Sponsored Education of Children that Have Extraordinary Gift for Fine Arts.” Verda Erman, Gülsin Onay, Hüseyin Sermet, İsmail Aşan, Fuat Kent, Selman Ada, and Ateş Pars received their training with the help of this law.