Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education (MoE) on Monday formally handed over the management of Afghan-Turk schools from Cag Educational to the Turkish government by signing an MoU with Turkish officials.

Turkish minister of education claimed that the schools were related to a terrorist organization run by Turkish cleric Muhammaed Fethullah Gülen, who is now living in exile in the United States.

Based on the MoU, the Turkish government has committed to invest $25 million to improve the quality of education and equip these schools with more facilities.

In addition, there will be a 20 percent reduction in fees and free education will be considered to children of martyrs of the Afghan security forces.

The number of Afghan-Turk schools will be increased to 28 and the number of students at these schools will be increased to 18,000 in ten years.

“These schools will not be closed, but their management will be handed over to the Turkish ministry of education with better quality. The families used to pay higher fees, but now we provide inexpensive educational opportunities for their kids,” Turkish Education Minister İsmet Yılmaz said. “Afghanistan and Turkey are fighting against terrorism. We want to tell the people of Afghanistan that these people are terrorists.”

The MoE reasons lack of quality and quantity of the education behind the decision to hand over the management responsibility of the Afghan-Turk schools to Turkish government.

“The two countries should not provide the opportunity for individuals to damage the relations between Afghanistan and Turkish people. There is no doubt that the quality of the education system had shortages,” Acting Education Minister, Mohammad Ibrahim Shinwari said.

At the same time, parents of the Afghan-Turk schools committee called the move a political decision.

“The government of Afghanistan has decided beyond the law, we have no political demand,” Fazel Ahmad Manawi, a member of Afghan-Turk parents committee said.

“The students of Afghan-Turk schools have no relation with politics, so let them study and keep them out of politics,” Sediqullah Tawhidi, another member of the parents committee said.

Meanwhile, a number of students’ parents have staged a protest tint, urging the government to give a positive response to their demands.