The fate of the Gulen movement’s schools — located in more than 160 countries — is being debated following Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's declaration of war in the wake of the Dec. 17 graft probe that targeted individuals associated with his government.
The fear that more than 2,000 schools could be shut down can be traced back to Erdogan’s statements at a Turkish ambassadors conference in January: “This organization has to be exposed. Responsibility for it is on the shoulders of every one of our ambassadors.” According to Gulenists, these schools, which until now had been called “the most successful export commodity of Turkey,” were targeted by the prime minister's directive. They say the Foreign Ministry is "lobbying to close down the schools," directing their accusations at Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
