Prep schools, which have been a source of contention for years, will be replaced with "special education courses," after Turkey's top court struck down a regulation to shut down prep schools.
The schools, which acted as a lucrative source of income for companies as well as recruitment centers for the controversial Gülen Movement, were originally scheduled to be closed down in September under a government regulation. However, the Constitutional Court, the highest judicial authority, ordered the cancellation of the September deadline last month.
Starting from yesterday, operators of prep schools were able to apply for special education courses, a somewhat improved prep school with new standards set out by the Ministry of National Education. Apart from changing the name of prep schools, the regulations also change class size to 16 students at most, and orders them to offer courses in three science groups, which are mathematics, science and social sciences.
The government's decision to shut down the prep schools and introduce free courses to students preparing for university exams has infuriated the Gülen Movement, the shady organization that is accused of attempting to overthrow the government through its infiltrators within law enforcement and the judiciary. The movement operates a vast network of prep schools and colleges in Turkey and faces allegations of using those schools to recruit new members. The Gülen Movement is indicted by prosecutors as a terrorist group for its activities ranging from the illegal wiretapping of thousands of people, blackmail and forgery among other crimes.
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