Children in Gaziantep handed over to TÜGVA: Ministry of National Education to cover expenses...

The Ministry of National Education (MEB) has allocated 315 schools in Gaziantep to the Turkey Youth Foundation (TÜGVA), an organization under the leadership of Bilal Erdoğan, the son of President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The TÜGVA Gaziantep Provincial Representative Office applied to the Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of National Education on June 12, 2024, requesting the allocation of schools for the purpose of organizing summer schools. The Provincial Directorate of National Education responded by stating, “Within the framework of the ‘Cooperation Protocol in Education’ signed between TÜGVA and the Ministry of National Education regarding the conduct of social, cultural, and sports activities as well as science and arts activities, it is deemed appropriate by our directorate to organize Quran, Siyer-i Nebi (life of the Prophet), worship, book reading, sports, and social activities as part of the TÜGVA Summer School Project.” It was also noted that the document included the “approval” of the Deputy Governor of Gaziantep.

HAFIZS WILL PROVIDE ‘EDUCATION’

According to the report by İsmail Arı from BirGün; a total of 315 primary, middle, and high schools located in the Şehitkamil and Şahinbey districts have been left to the use of TÜGVA. It was stated that the assignment of 178 hafizs and Imam Hatip graduates determined by TÜGVA would be carried out through the Public Education Center.

Former CHP member of the Şahinbey Municipal Council, Uğur Kalkan, expressed his reaction to the handover of the schools to TÜGVA in his assessment to BirGün, stating, “The foundation named TÜGVA, whose many protocols have been canceled by the Council of State, continues to act as it pleases in Gaziantep. TÜGVA, which was allocated 135 schools last summer, has increased this number to 315 this year, with 250 in Şahinbey and 65 in Şehitkamil. I wonder if the Şahinbey Municipality and Mehmet Tahmazoğlu have any influence on the number increasing from 60 to 250 in Şahinbey.”

MEB COVERS THE EXPENSES

Stating that “the petition submitted to the Gaziantep Governorship under the signature of the TÜGVA Gaziantep Provincial Representative requests the allocation of schools, the notification of school administrations, and the assignment of instructors through Public Education,” CHP member Kalkan continued his words as follows: 

“They also said they would appoint substitute instructor teachers in schools when necessary. Bilal Erdoğan was in Gaziantep recently. Everyone from the former minister to the governor and the AKP mayors was following him. In the speech he gave there, he claimed that they were being obstructed. 315 schools have been allocated to the command of the foundation where he is a member of the High Advisory Board. The food, electricity, water, and teacher salaries will also be paid by the ministry. I am very curious about what kind of obstruction and hindrance this is. In this country, no foundation or association other than TÜGVA, TÜRGEV, and similar organizations is provided with such privileges and conveniences.”

News Source: 12punto