Parents Protest Over Afghan-Turk Schools’ Transfer to Turkey

Parents of the Afghan-Turk school students on Tuesday protested over the government’s decision to hand over management of the schools from Çağ Educational Foundation to the Turkish ministry of education.

Members of the parents association called the move “illegal” and vowed to stand against the decision.

“We will submit a complaint to the supreme court of Afghanistan soon,” said Abdul Shukoor Dadras, a member of the parents’ association.

“This is a failed attempt and we will never allow it,” said Yousuf Pashtoon, head of Afghan-Turk parents’ association.

“We will stage rallies until we haven’t received our right,” said Fazel Ahmad Manawi, another member of the association.

The Deputy head of Afghan-Turk Schools, Ahmad Fawad Haidari, said the decision will have a bad effect over the educational system of the schools. He said some teachers’ of the school are under house arrest since the last 80 days.

On Monday, Afghanistan formally handed over the management of Afghan-Turk schools to Turkey. During the event in Kabul, Turkish Education Minister İsmet Yılmaz claimed that the schools were related to a terrorist organization run by Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen, who is now living in exile in the United States.

Based on an MoU signed between the two sides, 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. Currently, 8,000 students are studying in 12 Afghan-Turk Schools across the country.