Turkish government to submit bill to close prep schools to Parliament

ANKARA

"The proposal will be submitted to Parliament soon," Arınç told reporters after the weekly Cabinet meeting. AA Photo

A law stipulating the closure of test prep schools (dershanes) is expected to be submitted to Parliament soon, after all ministers have signed it, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has announced.

“Three articles of a law proposal regarding Education Ministry personnel regulations relate to the transformation of dershanes. The proposal will be submitted to Parliament soon,” Arınç told reporters after the weekly Cabinet meeting on Jan. 27.

The proposal envisages the complete transformation of prep schools into private colleges within two years.

The issue of the future of the schools caused a huge rift between the government and the movement of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, which runs many of them. The controversy is seen by many as having led to the massive corruption probe that has engulfed government officials since mid-December.

Arınç touched on the rift, accusing the Gülen movement of using the prep school issue as a “pretext” to launch its struggle against the government.

“We are going to work together with those who have sincere opinions on this law proposal and who advise us in a sincere way. But I have a bad news for those who are trying to tarnish the government: You have no sincerity. You have just used this issue of prep schools to launch this fight,” he said.

The government has also signed a law on protecting personal data, in a move in line with the EU acquis.