Distance learning portal helps 100,000 learn Turkish

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

The Yunus Emre Institute’s distance learning portal has taught Turkish to nearly 100,000 users from 159 countries in six continents in a less than a year, according to the institute.

The portal has users mostly from Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Algeria, Ecuador, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, Yemen, the U.S. and Germany, the institute said in a written statement on Jan. 20.

The Yunus Emre Institute is an official body providing services abroad to people who want to learn the Turkish language, aiming to improve friendship between Turkey and other countries and increase cultural exchange. The language portal has been operating since February 2017.

According to the institute, 57.63 percent of the portal’s users are males and 42.37 percent are female. The majority of the users are in the 18-34 age group at 76.23 percent, followed by the 35-54 age group with 19.03 percent and the 55+ age group with 4.73 percent.

“Through the internet we are able to spread our Turkish language and culture. Students from one corner of the world to the other can now communicate with each other in Turkish,” said Yunus Emre Institute head Şeref Ateş.

“The language portal has reached around 100,000 users from 159 countries since it started broadcasting in February 2017. And this number is increasing every day,” Ateş added.