Investigation opened into Arab school in Istanbul

Melike Çalkap - ISTANBUL

The district director of national education has launched an investigation into an Arab school in Istanbul’s Bağcılar district for announcing its opening through advertisements when it’s not legally registered yet.

The district director of national education has started an investigation against an Arab school in Istanbul’s Bağcılar district that declared its opening.

The school, named “al-Awael College,” recently started posting advertisements, saying it was established under the Turkish Education Ministry and that they would begin to enroll students from kindergarten to high school level from July 18.

The ad campaigns sensationalized social media, with many questioning the status of the school.

Stating that the Arab school is not legal yet, Bağcılar district director of national education Mustafa Yılmaz said, “Necessary actions are being taken.”

“They started advertising activities before they applied for the opening of the school. Actually, this is an illegal school,” he noted. “The school cannot start the registration process; it is not possible.”

Highlighting that his department will examine the al-Awael College, he expressed, “We will see if it is ready for education. Then we’ll look at their syllabus.”

As alleged by the board of the school, Awael College is “an international school.”

“As it will be an international school, they will have a different curriculum. It will come to the opening phase later. But they are advertising as if it has opened when there is nothing of the sort,” the district director underlined.

“As the ministry, we are taking the necessary actions about the school,” he added.

The board of the school, which carries an Arabic sign on the building, has not commented on the investigation yet.