Continued tensions between Riyadh and Ankara; Closure of 8 Turkish schools in Saudi Arabia
Saudi officials announced the closure of eight of these schools in Riyadh and other Saudi cities by the end of the 2020-2011 school year.
Anatolia News Agency reported, citing diplomatic sources, that eight more schools of Turkey would be closed at the end of the current school year, and wrote: Riyadh, Taif, and Jeddah informed the officials of this decision.
According to the report, Saudi officials visited these schools in the cities of Dammam and Abha and informed the officials of these schools about this decision. Turkish schools in Mecca and Medina will also be included. Saudi officials have announced that they will provide the necessary facilities for the enrollment of students in these schools in other schools where they wish to enroll, and the relevant authorities have been notified.
Anatoly quoted Turkish diplomatic sources as saying that 2,256 students were studying at the Turkish schools in Saudi Arabia. They will face problems.
Saudi Education Ministry delivered the decision in a written format to the schools in the northwestern Tabuk, Riyadh, Ta’if and Jeddah provinces.
Saudi officials also visited the Turkish schools in Dammam and Abha provinces to inform school authorities about the decision.
Schools of Turkey in Mecca and Medina provinces will also be subject to the same decision.
In the decision, the Saudi Education Ministry said, “Activities at the Turkish schools will be terminated at the end of this academic year, facilitation will be provided for students to enroll in the schools of their choice, and school administrations should inform parents about the decision.”
Diplomatic sources say 2,256 students who are not fluent in Arabic will have difficulty if they continue their education linked to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education.
International Turkish Schools in Riyadh, Jeddah, Tabuk, Dammam, Ta’if, Abha, Mecca, and Medina will be closed by the end of this year.
