Turkish Education Association aims to open schools all around the country

ANKARA

The Turkish Education Association Chairman Selçuk Pehlivanoğlu says their goal is to exist in 81 cities in 10 years by opening new schools.

The Turkish Education Association (TED), whose founding dates back almost as far as the Turkish Republic, is celebrating its 85th anniversary. Speaking to daily Radikal, TED Chairman Selçuk Pehlivanoğlu said that TED did not seek profit and that its main purpose was to orient education in the country.

He said that TED was one of the leading organizations established with the foundation of the Turkish Republic and its first chairman was İsmet İnönü, the prime minister at the time. He said that the association had three principle missions: opening private schools, orienting education toward a non-governmental education and creating opportunities for disadvantaged children.

Distinguishing feature

“The main distinguishing feature of TED, is that it is a modern Robin Hood. We give education to those who have money; we transfer money to those who do not have money. We have so far provided scholarships to 50,000 children during their educational life and this year they would give scholarships to 250 students at university. The value of TED totally belongs to a nation but not a family’s orindividual’s company.”

Pehlivanoğlu said that children could sometimes be unkind, adding, “The difference in clothes is seen as the major difference. This is why we don’t approve of free clothes. The minister said ‘let every school’s parent-teacher association decide on it.’ We have made a poll in our own schools and 94 percent of parents want uniforms.”

Pehlivanoğlu said that they had also opened a university and began accepting students last year. “Currently there are three faculties and 10 departments. We have seriously progressed in this way. Our goal is to create a difference in higher education. Unfortunately, there has been a serious degeneration in Turkish higher education. We will have a different position as a university.”

Pehlivanoğlu concluded saying that TED had 25 schools and a university, and their goal was to exist in 81 cities in 10 years.