THE news about the possible closure of PakTurk schools and colleges is shocking. If this happens, it will put the future of 10,000 students at stake. Following such reports in the media, I asked my children, one of whom is a Class VIII student at this school, about Fatehullah Gullen. None of them has heard about him.

I checked the textbooks to find something about Gullen but I failed. Then I inquired about the school teachers. I came to knew that 90pc teachers are Pakistani.

These schools may work under Gullen’s umbrella organisation, but the point is they are doing an excellent job. These schools are providing quality and research-oriented education from primary level. Recently, they achieved many laurels for Pakistan at international competitions. These schools have reserved 30pc quota for students who can’t pay their fee from whom they don’t charge a single paisa.

I request the prime minister to first investigate the matter and check if there is anything wrong with their curriculum. Turkey is a friendly country and we respect its democracy. But we should also consider the future of 10,000 students of these schools.

Shehroz Khan Rind
Jamshoro

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2016