Top Turkish business group criticizes education minister’s support to religious cults

In a statement, Turkey's leading TÜSİAD business association has criticized Education Minister Yusuf Tekin who said the ministry would continue collaborating with Islamic cults in 2024. There should be no place for cults in the education system “considering the bitter experiences of the recent past,” the association said, referring to the 2016 failed coup attempt.

Wednesday December 20 2023 10:23 pm

Duvar English

The Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD) on Dec. 20 criticized Education Minister Yusuf Tekin over his promise on religious cults.

In a written statement, the TÜSİAD said there should be no place for religious cults in the education system “considering the bitter experiences of the recent past,” referring to the July 15, 2016 failed coup attempt which is believed to have been orchestrated by the Gülen network.

Last week, Tekin said the ministry would continue collaborating with Islamic cults in 2024.

“We need a modern education transformation in the second century of our Republic,” the association said.

It added that the current issue “incompatible with modern education” did not fit with the economic and social development goals of Turkey.

“It should be essential to implement science-based policies in the field of education, which affects a wide range of people such as millions of students, parents, teachers, business, labor, technology and academia,” it noted.

Speaking during the Parliamentary budget meetings, Tekin stated that the Ministry had 2,709 protocols in total, ten of which were made with Islamic cults and organizations they define as non-governmental organizations.

“We have at most ten protocols with NGOs you like to call religious cults and organizations, and we will continue these protocols,” Tekin said and thanked the organizations they have collaborated with.

After his remarks, opposition has drawn attention to the government’s previous relation with the Gülen movement, which is officially called the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ). It is an ally-turned-foe of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), and their ties were strained in 2013 following a graft probe. The group is widely believed to have undertaken the 2016 failed coup attempt.

The Women's Platform for Equality (EŞİK) has called on Minister Tekin to resign unless he fulfills his constitutional duties.