ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

Turkey’s Maarif Foundation has kept pace with Ethiopia’s academic year enrolling thousands of students at five campuses in Addis Ababa, one in Sebeta outside the capital and another in the historical city of Harar.

In August, 11 schools enrolling 2,000 students set up by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) in Addis Ababa were handed over to Turkey's Maarif Foundation by a court decision.

“After almost two years, we are very happy and proud to open our sixth branch,” Levent Sahin, the foundation’s representative to Ethiopia, told Anadolu Agency, citing all branches are now operational: Harar and Sebeta branches outside Addis Ababa and Yeka, CMC, Addis, Sar Bet.

“Now we have more than 2,000 students,” he said as happy students and parents listened on the compound of the CMC branch that teaches kindergarten to high school.

Students, parents, and teachers, and officials from the Turkish organizations in Addis Ababa, all gathered to witness the opening. “Tomorrow there will be lessons,” Sehen told students after a four-month wait because of the rainy season in Ethiopia when schools normally close.

“With the support of the Turkish government, we started operations this year. Next year we have planned to open more new schools,” he said. “We have been working on it since one and half months ago, (we do it) with good teachers and good management. Day and night they give their maximum support with heart, and today we see the results.”

All the schools opened with the name Maarif Turkish International Schools in Ethiopia canceled the FETO nomenclature of intellectual schools.

The Maarif Foundation was founded June 17, 2016, but is moving beyond its original mission of running schools obtained from FETO and turning into a powerful force of education representing Turkey abroad.