A defense company in Ankara has developed a ballistic school bag after a series of school shootings, prompting debate across the country.
In Türkiye, a new kind of backpack has started a far more difficult conversation, one about safety, fear and what children should have to carry with them to class. A defense-sector company in Ankara has developed a ballistic-protected school bag designed to shield children during a shooting.
The bag is reported to offer protection against several types of ammunition, including 9mm, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum rounds. However, the certification standard behind those claims has not been made public, and the company behind the product has not been widely named, IBTimes UK reported.
The product comes after a string of school shootings this year shocked a country where such attacks have historically been rare. Türkiye has strict gun laws, with ownership requiring licensing, registration and background checks.
The bag has quickly divided opinion, with some families seeing it as an added layer of protection and others questioning what it says about the world their children are growing up in.
BULLETPROOF BACKPACKS for CHILDREN in TURKEY being DEVELOPED as SCHOOL SHOOTINGS RISE
‘Provides protection against .357 MAGNUM, 5.56, 9mm & .44 MAGNUM BULLETS’ https://t.co/pXQvKIlfm0
— RT (@RT_com) October 5, 2026School Shootings in Türkiye in 2026 and the Push for Better School Security
In April, two school shootings took place on consecutive days. On April 14, a former student opened fire at a vocational high school in Siverek, in Şanlıurfa province, wounding 16 people. The next day, a deadly shooting at a middle school in Onikişubat, in Kahramanmaraş province, left several people dead, including children.
Investigators found that the attacker in the second incident had carried firearms and magazines into the school in a backpack. The weapons were registered to his father.
A third incident followed on September 22, when an attacker opened fire near a high school in Turgutlu, in western Türkiye, wounding at least 11 people. Prosecutors are investigating the incident, including claims that the student involved had been bullied.
The attacks have prompted wider discussion in Türkiye about school security, bullying, mental health support for young people and access to firearms, including illegally held weapons.
Bulletproof Backpacks for Children Spark Debate Among Parents in Türkiye
The ballistic backpack has drawn mixed reactions. Some parents see it as a practical way to give children extra protection in an emergency. Others feel uneasy about the idea of children carrying protective gear to school, with some saying it feels like sending them to war.
Critics argue that such products address the consequences of violence rather than its causes, and that efforts should focus on prevention, school security measures and support for students. Supporters say that, given recent events, families should have the option of additional protection.
Bullet-resistant backpacks are not new. Similar products have been sold for years in the United States, where school shootings are more frequent, and they have faced similar debates over how effective they are and the message they send to children.
