Turkey's Maarif Foundation opens school in Tanzania

A Turkish educational foundation opened a new school in Tanzania's northeastern province of Arusha.

The Maarif Foundation opened the school, which will be attended by 260 students in its primary and secondary categories, as well as its nursery.

Speaking at Maarif Arusha School's opening ceremony, Tanzanian lawmaker Mary Nagu said students from neighboring provinces would also attend the school, asking for a dormitory to house them.

She called on businesspeople, families and politicians to make the school the "best in Tanzania."

For his part, Turkey's ambassador to Tanzania Ali Davutoglu underlined that schools run by the Maarif Foundation were among the best in the country.

The Arusha school's opening came after the foundation opened another educational institution in the Tanzanian capital Dar Es Salaam on Thursday.

According to Maarif, the foundation has 144 schools and 17 dormitories in Africa countries and has been operating in Tanzania for two years with 12 schools.

The Turkish government set up the Turkish Maarif Foundation soon after the 2016 defeated coup, orchestrated by FETO to administer overseas schools linked to FETO.

The foundation has also established schools and education centers in various continents, from Africa to Asia, since its foundation in 2016.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup in Turkey, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

FETO also has a considerable presence outside Turkey, including private schools that serve as a revenue stream for the terrorist group.

Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.