ASIA/TURKEY - Christian schools subsidized by the State increase

Ankara (Agenzia Fides) - There are 55 schools belonging to foundations and institutions related to the Christian communities in Turkey already entitled to receive financial support from the State. Of these, 36 belong to the Armenian community, 18 to the Greek community and a kindergarten belonging to the Syriac Orthodox community. 5 educational institutions belonging to the Jewish community are added to schools linked to the Christian communities. The figure was released by the heads of the Directorate of National Education and reintroduced by local sources, with the intent to accredit the growing awareness of the Turkish authorities to the rights of religious minorities.
In September 2013, a dossier edited by the Economic and Social Foundation of Turkey (Tarih Vakfi) had counted only 22 schools belonging to religious minorities throughout the country (see Fides 24/09/2013). In Turkey 1894 schools belonging to the minority communities were 6437. The number dropped dramatically to 138 in the first years following the founding of the Turkish Republic, when the nationalist politics of the Union and Progress Committee, which aims to build and impose the unique model of the «turkish citizen» began to underpin the policy of expulsion of minority groups. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 04/11/2014)