Turkey's top official highlights qualified education in fighting terrorism

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan

Quality and qualified education is the best fight against terror organizations, such as the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), PKK and Daesh/ISIS, that "poison future generations," Turkey's vice president said on Friday.

Fuat Oktay remarks came during the opening ceremony of Turkey's Maarif Foundation education complex in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. He called the foundation Turkey's "pride" and "educational diplomacy move."

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in Turkey, in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 injured.

After the defeated coup, Turkey established the Maarif Foundation to assume the administration of overseas schools linked to FETO, which the terror group has used as a revenue stream.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terror organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

Oktay underscored that the Maarif Foundation is the "current flag bearer of Turkey's deep-rooted education acquis."

He said education received at Kyrgyz Maarif schools will "flourish the minds" for the peace and tranquility of humanity.

"Bishkek Maarif schools, as the first educational complex opened in Central Asia, will both add value to the education life of Kyrgyzstan and raise young people who will add value to Kyrgyzstan," he said.

Oktay noted that the "visionary" young people in Bishkek will carry their country to the future by "building a bridge from the past to the present."

He also said that Kyrgyzstan is the 46th country where the Turkish Maarif Foundation opened an educational institution.

"Turkey and Kyrgyzstan are two brotherly countries with a common history, religion and language," he said.

The vice president also noted that the Bishkek education complex of the Maarif Foundation will provide lessons from pre-school to the high school level.

"In the coming period, we will continue to strengthen the Turkey-Kyrgyzstan education cooperation by increasing the number of education centers in Kyrgyzstan, and by this means, we will continue to build new bridges linking the hearts," he added.

Oktay and his delegation were accompanied by the chairperson of Maarif Foundation, Birol Akgun, and Ulukbek Maripov, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan.

*Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev from Ankara