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

Tags: | | |


Related News

NBA player and Erdoğan-critic Enes Kanter’s father arrest in Turkey

Dr. Mehmet Kanter, father of NBA player and Turkish government-critic Enes Kanter has been arrested in Instanbul. This comes days after Turkish officials issued an arrest warrant for the US-based basketball player and seeked assistance from Interpol to extradite him to Turkey.

Gülen media, pro-government media, is it the same thing?

If the Cemaat has done something illegal, such as bribing an official to acquire construction license for its schools or illegally coercing businessmen to financially contribute to its activities, is it possible for this country’s citizens to condemn it. If the Cemaat is involved in illegal activities, then it is up to the state or government to reveal them and bring the Cemaat to justice.

Turkey’s tryst with democracy (1)

All of Erdoğan’s recent acts reflect a serious deficit of democracy in the ruling government. These acts include making bogus claims of a parallel structure; targeting institutions linked to Fethullah Gülen’s Hizmet movement; embark on a massive reshuffle of thousands of officials without any reasonable grounds; changing the structure of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) to subjugate the judiciary; openly interfering in the media; strengthening the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) and bringing it under the direct control of the prime minister; banning Twitter and YouTube; and speaking with a threatening, bullying and polarizing tone.

Turkey tries to trap Obama with extradition demand [of Mr. Gülen]

But while U.S. agency spokesmen are trying to be cautious in what they say, skepticism about Turkey’s claims that Gulen directed the plot are widespread in Washington. Last week, in comments that likely burned a few ears in Ankara, U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told The Washington Post that he did not believe Turkey had yet offered enough proof to implicate Gulen, who has lived in Pennsylvania’s Poconos region for years.

Erdoğan’s ‘enemies’ find sanctuary in Greece

“Until May 9th, the police in my home country [Turkey] tortured me,” he said. “On May 10th, the Greek police brought my children breakfast.”

Why Is Turkey Targeting Hizmet? Questions about Erdoğan’s Post-Coup Crackdown

In May 2009, I received an award at the International Turkish Olympiad. The event was sponsored and organized by members of the Hizmet movement and most of the performers were students of Hizmet schools abroad. When I, together with a handful of other recipients, mounted the stage to accept our awards, there to shake our hands was the smiling then prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyib Erdoğan.

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

TUSİAD chairman says does not see ‘parallel structure’ within state

Ambassador says US having difficulty in seeing clear criterion in anti-Gülen operations

Gülen convinces people that Islam is integral part of global order

Turkey’s war on the press

Pak-Turk schools case: IHC grants more time to seek govt’s instructions

Kimse Yok Mu builds village in Pakistan in honor of Iqbal

1,500 pounds of frozen meat for needy Staten Island families

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News