Turkish education in Jordan on 15 July

We marked the 3rd anniversary of 15 July abroad, in Jordan, where the coup attempt was watched with great anxiety, and where, when it failed, the Turkish people's glorious victory was celebrated by the people with great enthusiasm. The opening ceremony of the Student Dormitory that the Maarif Foundation established and furnished in Jordan to serve Turkish students going there especially for Arabic language education had been timed to coincide with this very day.

Marking 15 July by taking part in such an activity abroad by the Maarif Foundation, which was established to take over the educational institutions of FETÖ, which used its educational activities abroad as a cover for its own dark organization, and to continue educational activities abroad on behalf of Turkey, is one of the most meaningful ways possible. Against the instrumentalization of educational activity for dark ends, an educational activity carried out in the most open, transparent and beneficial ways possible is the most striking substitution of good for evil.

The number of countries in which the Foundation is currently active has reached 58, the number of countries to which a coordinator has been appointed 55, and the number of countries among all these in which it has begun educational activity 33. These figures show that it has covered a very significant distance in the three years since its founding. Of course, more important is the love, excitement and idealistic motivation carried by those who take part in these activities. I can say that when the Maarif Foundation was first established, nothing remains of the concerns that, as an official institution, it might lack the excitement and motivation carried by a civil society, let alone a religious structure. From the Maarif Foundation's president to all of its employees, it is made up of people who know and feel very well what they are doing and who do their work as if it were a voluntary activity. The Foundation has a performance that makes one say that great things can be done with a state organization too, through the employment of suitable people.

Until now I have had the chance to visit Maarif Foundation educational institutions in many countries and to chat with their staff. I saw far more than that highly motivated spirit of which the FETÖ schools boasted so much, and moreover far healthier, more transparent, and with the awareness and rationality of what it is working for. Witnessing that there exists in Turkey an energy and excitement that can more than fill the gaps created when the schools FETÖ operated abroad were closed, depending on the level of relations between the host country and Turkey, gives one serious confidence on behalf of the country. In Jordan, too, you feel this confidence as you listen to Ahmet Zeki Olaş, who works as the Maarif Foundation coordinator showing a high degree of voluntarism.

About two thousand students a year go from Turkey to Jordan for language education. Jordan is currently one of the most suitable centers for those who want to learn Arabic. In general, the country's level of education and infrastructure is at the best level compared with the Arab countries. But the suitable conditions in which the Turkish students coming here could stay were an important problem for families. It was frequently seen that complaints were made of being unable to concentrate on education as much as one struggled to find a suitable dormitory or rental home. Now this problem is largely being solved.

The Maarif Student Dormitory, established on an area of 2800 square meters near the University of Jordan, has been built with the facilities and capacity to provide basic dormitory services, with a kitchen, cafeteria, study halls, library, infirmary and other areas of use able to serve 200 students. The dormitory, which in fact officially began operating in April 2019, began admitting students in June 2019. 190 students are already residing in the dormitory at present.

On the occasion of the dormitory's opening, there was also intense interest from Jordanians in the commemoration meeting held for the anniversary of 15 July. Together with the dormitory opening, there was also the opening of a 15 July Photo Exhibition in cooperation with the Yunus Emre Foundation and TİKA. Interest in this was also intense.

All the attendees were trying to tell how their hearts beat with Turkey and what they experienced on the night of the coup. From the moment it became clear that the coup had failed, everyone grabbed the Turkish flags in their homes and poured into the streets to celebrate the victory. One of those with whom we fell into deep conversation says: "Do not see Turkey as consisting only of Turkey. You cannot even imagine how meaningful and important Turkey's independent stance, its success, especially under Erdoğan's leadership, is for us. Never mind the nationalist, Westernist elements among the Arabs who do not know themselves. They do not remember their nationalism in the face of the West, yet when it comes to Turkey they suddenly turn into nationality-lovers. But they are a small minority. Have no doubt that the hearts of most Arab peoples right now beat with Turkey without feeling any national complex. Because the Turkey led by Erdoğan currently represents far more than Turkey. It has no luxury of failing. Our prayers are for Turkey and Erdoğan. The consequences of the failure of the model he has put forth, God forbid, would be felt more bitterly by us than by those in Turkey."

The Maarif Foundation Dormitory is ultimately a dormitory, but that such activities will be one of the important means for developing the commercial, cultural and political relations between the two countries was an expectation expressed by the Jordanians attending the opening. Although Turkey-Jordan relations are truly very good in many respects, commercial exchange in particular is not at the level it should be. Our Ambassador in Amman, Murat Karagöz, who has very good communication with the Jordanians, also stated that taking such steps that will improve the infrastructure in order to develop it is very important. Jordanians' interest in the reception he gave that evening for 15 July was just as intense, and he attended to each of them one by one.

In this sense, 15 July is in fact an event that has brought to light a very important reality about the depth and breadth of Turkey's geography of the heart.