Islamabad: Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Pakistani education minister Shafqat Mahmood on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding for the promotion of literacy in Pakistan. The MoU signing ceremony was also attended by foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Under the accord, which was approved by the federal cabinet a day ago, Turkey’s Maarif Foundation, which currently has the status of an international non-governmental organisation, will be treated as a Turkish government institution in Pakistan.
“After this, Maarif Foundation will be able to expand its operations in Pakistan in terms of opening and running new campuses, cultural and educational centers, language centers, student exchange programs, and scholarships,” said Harun Kucukaladagli, the organization’s country director for Pakistan.
He said the foundation’s activities and operations would fall under the ambit of the two governments after the agreement. Maarif Foundation currently has 27 schools and colleges across Pakistan catering to some 12,000 students in 10 cities, including Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. The number of teaching and non-teaching staff affiliated with these academic institutes is over 1,700.
