November 14, 2012

Record number of Turkish tweets protest plan to close prep schools

In this Oct. 9, 2012 file photo,
elementary school students take
a university preparation course in the
eastern province of Kars. (Photo: Cihan)
Turkish Twitter users posted over 1.5 million tweets under the hashtag #dershanemolmasaydı (“if my university prep school didn't exist”) on Monday to protest the government's recent plan to eliminate the dershanes, private educational institutions that prepare students for examinations.

Turkish Economy Minister praises Gulen-inspired schools

Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan, who was on a working visit in Mozambique recently, visited Sogut International Turkish College located in the capital Maputo. This college, which is established by the followers of Hizmet movement, is one of the most prestigious educational establishments in Mozambique. School’s students organized a reception welcoming high guests from Turkey, who were very excited to see local children talk and sing in Turkish language. In the speech, which Caglayan delivered during the program, he said, “20-25 years ago it was impossible to even dream of existence of such schools around the world. If one said there are great Turkish schools around the world, I would say, “Are you kidding me?” But today, the dream became a reality. And I send my highest respect and appreciation to people who made this become real.”

Original article [in Turkish] published on Zaman Daily, 06 October 2012, Saturday
English excerpt published on fethullah-gulen.net, 13 November 2012, Tuesday