Turkish children could soon be deprived of schooling in French schools in Istanbul and Ankara. This is the threat brandished by the Turkish government, which is pressuring France to sign a bilateral agreement on the status of these two schools. The tensions are long-standing, but in recent weeks, the affair has turned into a diplomatic showdown. To the point of threatening the future of the two establishments, which together welcome more than 2,400 students, the overwhelming majority of whom are Turkish citizens.
2 min
With our correspondent in Ankara, Anne Andlauer
From her vacation spot, Ayse received a message from the embassy of France. She informed her that the children turkish could be deprived of French school from the start of the next school year, like his seven-year-old son, who has been attending the Pierre Loti school in Istanbul for four years. I can’t believe it. We’ve been totally demoralized since we heard the news, we know absolutely nothing about what’s going on. I feel like our government is escalating tensions unnecessarily. ” explains Ayse.
Ankara does not recognize the two French schools and wants to sign a bilateral agreement with Paris. Turkey is demanding in particular a ” reciprocity “, or the opening in France of Turkish schools recognized by the State. It also requests that the programs of the two French schools ” getting closer ” partly from those followed in Turkish schools.
Oussema Trigui, a parent representative at Charles de Gaulle High School in Ankara, wants to remain confident. He believes that it is time to give these schools a proper status. My first reaction when I saw parents getting outraged on the WhatsApp group was to say: “But did you know that the school has a vague legal status?“Parents who send their Turkish children to French schools are taking a risk. And it is certainly not normal to have this risk. I think we absolutely must seize this moment to try to find a solution and put an end to it.” “, he believes.
With a month and a half to go before the start of the school year, parents are hoping for a quick outcome.