Tunisian journalists visited the Turkish Maarif Foundation

May 08, 2023

Tunisian journalists who came to Turkey as part of the program organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Communication of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) visited the Turkish Maarif Foundation.

In the framework of the program organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Communication of the Presidency of Turkey and TIKA in order to exchange views on the development of the cooperation between the media organs of Turkey and Tunisia, as well as the relations between the two countries, the President of the Turkish Maarif Foundation, Prof. Dr. Birol Akgün received for lunch the Tunisian delegation mainly composed of journalists visiting Turkey.

Akgün informed the delegation on the history, the corporate structure and the foreign activities of the Turkish Maarif Foundation.

Mentioning the activities of the Foundation in Tunisia, Akgün explained, “We started our activities last year in Tunisia, with which we have profound historical and cultural ties. We currently have 3 schools in Tunisia, including a kindergarten, a primary and secondary schools. Although these schools were in their first year, thanks to the intense interest of the Tunisians, 165 students started their education. In the coming period, we are planning to open a modern high school and to provide education there. We do believe that our schools in Tunisia strengthen the bridges between our two countries.”

Indicating that the mission of the Turkish Maarif Foundation is to open schools from kindergarten to university in the field of formal education abroad on behalf of Turkey, Akgun declared:

"Within this context, we got contacts with 88 countries in only 2 years. We have appointed directors in 45 countries. We look after the works undertaken by our colleagues in the countries where they went. Until now, we have taken over 108 schools affiliated to FETÖ/PYD in 14 countries (Guinea, Somalia, Sudan, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Tunisia, Senegal, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire). In order to create alternative schools in the strategically priority regions and to meet the educational needs of the Turkish diaspora, we opened 44 new schools in 13 countries, including 2 universities in Albania and one university in Cyprus. In a short time, our goal is to increase this number to 40 and we are planning to open schools in 60 countries until 2019. We are in contact with the Foreign Ministers of countries. In addition to these, in 31 countries, protocols have been signed for the transfer of FETÖ / PDY - linked schools and for the opening of new schools, the handover processes are continuing.”

Members of the delegation said they came to Turkey under the program held between 16-21 September, stated that they got a variety of contacts in Ankara and in Istanbul. The journalists admitted admiring Turkey and that the activities undertaken by the Turkish Maarif Foundation in the World are very important.

After the visit, a souvenir photography was taken with President Akgün and members of the delegation.

Then Turkish Maarif Foundation Board of Trustees Member Mustafa Göksu took the delegation for a visit in the headquarter and gave information about the different departments.

The visit ended after the participants' questions about Turkish Maarif Foundation activities.