A dormitory built for male students in the Bolvadin district of Afyonkarahisar, initially planned to be opened for the 2017-2018 Academic Year, has been closed and handed over to an Islamist cult named the Company for Disseminating Knowledge [in Turkish ‘İlim Yayma Cemiyeti (İYC)]. İYC opened its own dormitory to replace the state-run one, while students who paid money and registered in the state-run dorm have been left with no solution.
As there are no a state-run dormitories in the district, male students are now forced to find accommodations at private dormitories or at dormitories affiliated with religious sects. There are many private dormitories in the district of Bolvadin, as there are many religious cults active there. In the district, each religious cult has its own dormitory, according to a report in the daily Cumhuriyet.
There have been many parent complaints to the authorities in the region because of the problems experienced as a result of the government's actions. Yet, the local authorities claim that they do not know the reason behind the closing of the dormitories, and pointed to the General Directorate of Credit and Dormitories Agency (KYK) as an institution that could provide a solution of the problem.
"We are closing dormitories that are below 250 residents as an institutional policy", KYK authorities explained when parents asked them about the issue.
Parents also questioned authorities as to whether the government aims to entrust students to religious cults with this policy. "Of course, we do not have such an aim, but our policy is this", was the only response from KYK officials.
According to a report prepared by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman Engin Altay, the Ministry of National Education (MEB) has gradually reduced its stake for investment from its budget in the past 15 years, and its investment potential has decreased by 50 percent compared to 2002. The MEB, which has not opened enough dormitories and schools, has forced impoverished students to register in the dormitories/schools of religious cults with this policy.
Signing a protocol with pro-government religious cults İYC and Unity Foundation [in Turkish. Birlik Vakfı] in July this year, the MEB had almost handed over some of the Ministry’s authorities to these organizations.
