ASIA/TURKEY - Minority schools are likely to close due to lack of pupils

Ankara (Agenzia Fides) - At the beginning of the school year, at least 24 schools belonging to foundations and organizations linked to Christian communities and other religious minorities in Turkey are in difficulty and risk closure mainly because of the small number of students they can enroll on the basis of the existing legislation. The danger threatens especially schools connected to the small Greek-Orthodox community. The alarm was launched by Turkish lawyer Nurcan Kaya, Group Coordinator for the rights of minorities. According to Kaya - report Turkish sources consulted by Agenzia Fides - a framework regulation that establishes the rights and duties of such schools, clarifying the mechanisms of state funding and eliminating the requirement of Turkish citizenship for students (clause that reduces the number of potential students) needs to be defined.
At the beginning of the school year 2014/2015, 55 schools belonging to foundations and organizations linked to the Christian communities in Turkey were authorized to receive financial support from the State. Of these, 36 belonged to the Armenian community, 18 to the Greek community and a kindergarten which belonged to the Syriac Orthodox community. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 05/10/2015)

Share:

religious minorities

---

---