Turkey's Maarif Teaches 30,000 Students İn 35 Countries

A Turkish public education body is educating 30,000 students in 35 different countries, the body's head told Anadolu Agency on Sunday.



Birol Akgun, chairman of the Maarif Foundation, said they have official representations in 52 countries.



"We provide education to around 30,000 students in 270 schools in 35 countries," he said.



Akgun said they have assumed administration of nearly 200 schools in 17 countries linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup attempt in Turkey.



He said the process of ex-FETO schools coming under Maarif administration and the process of opening new schools are both ongoing.



Akgun said they have opened 71 new schools in 16 countries to provide alternative schools in strategically priority areas and satisfy the education need of the Turkish diaspora.



He added that since the foundation's establishment three years ago, they have established relations with 100 countries.



After the 2016 defeated coup, Turkey established the Maarif Foundation to assume the administration of overseas schools linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization. It also establishes schools and education centers abroad.



FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.



Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and academia.



It also operates many schools abroad as a revenue stream for its terror and infiltration activities. -