"Turkish Schools Abroad Change Turkey's Image"
Mehmet Ozleyen, the director of Galaxy International Turkish High School in Ghana, who has brought three of his students to Turkey where he has come to spend his summer holidays, says that education activities abroad contribute a great deal to promoting Turkey.
Turkish schools abroad where voluntary envoys for education are working contribute in promoting Turkey as well as, education.
The Ghana Galaxy International Director who has recently come to Turkey for a holiday says that Ghanaians' prejudices about Turkey have been removed thanks to the Turkish school.
The private Galaxy International Turkish school has been operating since 2001. The school teaches Ghanaians Turkish is also introducing them to Turkey's historical and geographical splendors.
The Galaxy International director and Turkish teacher have come to Turkey together with their three students for a holiday. The education language at the school is English and there are two hours of Turkish lessons in a week.
They also give taught about Turkish culture in the Turkish lessons the Director Ozleyen says. "Teaching a language is all about teaching its culture."
Turkish teacher Sebile Ozleyen points out to the negative image of Turkey in Ghana and they are trying to overcome this prejudice.
They witnessed that parents coming for to register their children are prejudiced about Turkey and Turks, Ms. Ozleyen adds.
"Their ideas have changed after having seen the care we show for their children and our success in education.
"We communicate with the parents on everything, even if the student does not bring hisnotebook to school for a day" adds that this approach of theirs attracts the parents' appreciation.
"There are students from 22 different countries attending the school. Apart from Ghanaian students, children of foreign embassy officers and foreign businessmen living in Ghana are studying at the school, too.
"Half of the students at school come from countries outside Ghana. Some Ghanaians living abroad also educate their children within Ghana due to the discrimination black people are subject to.
"Parents of problematic children educated abroad thank us when they see the positive effects of our school on them" and adds that parents want their children to get their higher education in Turkish schools, too," she says.
Three Ghanaian students who have come to Turkey with the school authorities include 15-year-old Judith Zulapkla, 13 year-old Ama Dwiredu and 10 year-old Deborah Kabari.
All three students say that they did not know anything about Turkey before they started at Galaxy International.
Zulapkla who says "I liked Pamukkale the most among the places I have seen in Turkey" also adds that she was much attracted by the Ayasophia Museum. Ama Dwiredu who reports she had previously been to US says, "Turkey is a much more interesting country with its abundance of historical sites." Ghanaian students enjoyed eating doner kebabs the most of the Turkish dishes they tried.
Galaxy International, which will give scholarships of varying amounts to 200 students in the next education year, is reported to be among the top ten most successful schools determined by Ghana Ministry of Education. The school's teaching staff of 35 includes nine Turkish, one Indian and 25 Ghanaian teachers.
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