Erdogan Moves to Shut Prep Schools in Blow to Gulen Followers


Date posted: February 7, 2014

BLOOMBERG

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government submitted a bill to parliament to shut down about 4,000 prep schools, about a quarter of them linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Erdogan’s allies described a December investigation into corruption as an attack orchestrated by Gulen because of government plans to shut down prep schools. In his year-end address to the nation, Erdogan said that the “December 17 plot was an assassination attempt hidden in a corruption package.” Gulen denies the allegations.

The bill orders the closure of exam preparation schools by Sept. 1, 2015, and offers government jobs to teachers and incentives to school owners if they convert to private schools and follow the national curriculum. Incentives include free land for 25 years and a government contribution for the students, the bill said.

The issue is important to Gulen’s followers, who teach about 400,000 of the 1.2 million prep school students. The schools offer additional training to students preparing for exams from elementary schools to universities.

Erdogan has so far removed thousands of police officers and prosecutors on suspected ties to Gulen’s movement, while pro-government media has targeted companies for alleged links to the cleric.

Source: Bloomberg , February 7, 2014


Related News

Corruption investigation: Questions that will hound PM Erdoğan

Everyone is wondering now what is behind the corruption investigation, and the first “suspect” to come to many minds is the Islamist Gülen movement. Tensions between this group and the AKP have been rising over the years, and boiled over recently due to the prep-school issue – a matter that has received wide media coverage.

The Gülen movement denies this but the vitriol flying between daily Zaman, which is close to Gülen, and Yeni Şafak, which is staunchly pro-AKP, is enough to give one a sense of the bitter struggle involved.

Bank Asya says raising capital, set for growth

“Bank Asya expects to raise its total capital by TL 300 million to TL 1.2 billion. … We sold an 18 percent stake in the retail chain A101 as part of this plan,” the bank said. Bank Asya said its capital adequacy ratio is 14.8 percent — well above the conventionally accepted minimum level of 12 percent — and that it expects to enjoy further growth in 2014. The bank said it expects the capital adequacy ratio to reach 17 percent, making it one of the five strongest (in capital) banks in Turkey. Previously, the bank held 21.84 percent of the shares in A101.

Fethullah Gulen’s Message of Condolences for Victims of Terrorist Attack at Istanbul Ataturk International Airport

Turkish Islamic scholar and peace advocate Fethullah Gulen, who has been residing in Saylorsburg, PA since 1999, condemned the horrific terrorist attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport.

Austrian politician documents Turkish surveillance abroad [on Gulen movement]

Turkish diplomatic offices around the world are gathering information in a bid to undermine organizations loyal to a Muslim cleric. Turkey is pressing nations to crack down on the Gulen movement’s network of schools and charities outside of the country.

Turkish Police Wait To Detain Another Women Just Hours After Delivery

Turkish government, which has imprisoned at least 700 babies so far, is now trying to imprison one more mother together with her newly born baby in Kahramanmaraş province on Tuesday.

Pak-Turk International celebrates 8th annual night gala

Sher Alam Shinwari  PESHAWAR: Provincial minister for Schools and Literacy Sardar Hussain Babak has called for help and assistance in all sectors to international donor agencies and Turkey government. Turkey he said was a time-tested friend of Pakistan and both the countries enjoyed excellent bilateral relationship and deep cultural ties. He was addressing as chief guest at a gathering […]

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Deputy PM of Turkey visits Gulen-inspired school in Yemen

Fethullah Gulen condemns the coup attempt in Turkey

Gov’t criticized for forcing scientific researcher to alter report

Fethullah Gulen’s Statement on Mass Shooting at Pittsburgh Synagogue

Toward a constitutional crisis [in Turkey]

Turkish language and culture festivals held in three countries

Witch-hunt-targeted mother dies in Kabul, family could not attend funeral in Turkey

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News