Turkish Schools Locomotive of Trade Bridge with Africa
The business forum organized by the Turkish Businessmen and Industrialists' Confederation to develop commercial relations with Africa ended Tuesday.
Five hundred business executives from 33 African countries held nearly 12,000 meetings during two day organization to develop contacts and commercial cooperation with Turkey.
Participants termed the summit an extremely well organized and historical gathering that could bear very important results, and almost all agree on expanding the summit and continuing it again next year.
Another point addressed by African ministers and bureaucrats meeting with Turkish business circles was the vital role Turkish schools play in the development of relations with Africa.
African ministers spoke highly of the self-sacrificing Turkish entrepreneurs who travel to countries where hunger, poverty, civil wars, and anarchy prevail and established high quality educational institutions.
"Turkish schools in our country serve as a bridge in the development of the good relationships between the two countries," Chad's minister for trade, Ngarmbatna Carmel says.
These schools, according to Carmel, conduct lessons in English, Arabic, Turkish and Chad languages. "The graduates of these schools will contribute a great deal in the future of our children and in the relationships of the two countries," she said, adding that Turkish schools are very important doors opening their country to the world.
Central Africa Education Minister Aurelier-Simplice Kongbelet-Zingas expressed the tremendous satisfaction they have of the existence of Turkish schools in their country. "These schools offer an education of international quality to our children. The Turkish economy is developing, and this is a positive situation, so to is the news that it is time for Turkey to turn its face to Africa," Kongbelet-Zingas said, highlighting the benefits of Turkish education institutions in Central Africa.
The minister, expressing relationships with Turkey will soon develop more rapidly thanks to such close ties, says, "The increase in commercial relationships will serve towards establishing friendships and peace."
Nigerian Educational Commissioner Balaraba Bello Martam also speaks highly of the Turkish entrepreneurs' educational services in Nigeria: "Our people have a great love and respect towards Turkish schools in Nigeria. There is huge sympathy towards Turkish teachers, as well as the education they provide."
Martam added that on the one hand, students receive a top quality education, and that on the other, teachers at the schools make excellent role models for their children. Martam, addressing Turkish entrepreneurs, said: "We want more Turkish schools in Nigeria. Each of these schools is of an international standard and they educate the children accordingly. These children are the guarantee of our future." (By Sezai Kalayci, Ibrahim Turkmen, Istanbul)
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