Date posted: March 13, 2014

GAMBIA

Rumors that Turkey’s Prime Minister R. Tayyip Erdoğan asked Gambian President Yahya Jammeh to close down private Turkish schools operating in his country sparked outrage. Turkish PM allegedly agreed to give Gambia $500 million to convince to shut down Turkish schools, as part of Erdogan Regime’s plans to crackdown on civil society in Turkey. It’s also revealed that Erdogan misinformed Gambian President as saying “all Turkish schools abroad have been shut down accept for those in Gambia”.

Amid the revelation of Erdoğan’s attempt to have Gambia’s Jammeh shut down Turkish schools, thousands in social media reacted to the scandal. Many argued Erdoğan’s move is not only against his own citizens’ right to free enterprise but also it is against Gambian children to have better quality education.

Turkish schools are not just “foreign investments” in more than 100 countries, but they are valuable institutions contributing to their respective countries in many ways. Cultivating a generation of global intellectuals and opening new windows to global opportunities, especially in developing countries, are among the biggest benefits these schools provide.

“It’s a new school that was opened in 2011, so it’s in the infancy stage, but the school will add more quality to the education in Gambia. It will bring more understanding between our cultures. I hope we will have a secondary school and even a university may be established in the future. This primary school is setting the ground for expansion,” said Gambian Ambassador to Turkey, Gibril Joof. Joof added that the Turkish school brings more awareness of cultural issues.

Source: Facts in Turkey , March 12, 2014

Tags: Africa | Gambia | Hizmet-inspired schools |