Turkey: "Demolish our top three universities - Let's return to the 11th Century"

Boagazici University seen from the Bosporus

One of Turkey's most respected government officials, Yusuf Kaplan, wants the countries top three universities "demolished". They are Istanbul's Bogazici University, Ankara's Middle East Technical University, known as ODTU, and Bilkent University.

The model of education being called for by Yusuf Kaplan dates back to the 11th Century when the Seljuk Empire employed a system of ed
ucation known as Nezamiyehs. The reason for the "demolishing" of the present system of education, according to Kaplan, is to "educate our younger generation on the basis of our 'civilization' thesis."

The recommendation for the change in the education model apparently originated with President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In the opinion expressed during the recent election, Erdogan suggested that these three universities will "conduct world-renowned, pioneering studies" on religion of Islam using the Quram, alongside the teachings of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism.

According to Kaplan, whose recommendations carry weight in the Turkish government, "If we do not carry out these modifications in our educational system, we will become extinct in 20 years."

Turkey has 170 universities and the three universities that Kaplan wants to "demolish" are three of the five Turkish institutions that are listed in the "Times Higher Education List".

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