Turkey’s Ministry of Finance opposed to Armenian language faculties in Turkish universities

August 23, 2010 - 12:29 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - An Armenian language and literature department that opened this year at Erciyes University in Kayseri attracted only four students this year following university entrance exams, according to staff at the school. The low interest is also compounded by a difficulty in finding personnel to teach the subject matter. Interest in the university’s Hebrew Language and Literature Department was also similarly limited, with only nine applicants.

In response, the entrance requirements will be lowered to encourage more students, said Professor Metin Hulagu, Deputy Rector of Erciyes University.

The departments, however, have staff problems, said the deputy rector, adding that the university had arranged tenure for scholars from Yerevan and Athens to teach Armenian and Hebrew, but remained unable to proceed because of problems with the Finance Ministry.

“YOK [the Supreme Board of Education] granted permission to us to hire scholars for these departments. However, the Ministry of Finance is resisting on the matter of personnel assignment,” said Hulagu.

Speaking to the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review, Hakan Akturk, press consultant for the Finance Ministry, said the matter was being investigated and added that personnel assignment had been neither accepted nor rejected. “We, as the Finance Ministry, do not and cannot hold a grudge against a certain university,” said Akturk, adding that all the universities in Turkey have similar staff problems.

Hulagu said there was a considerable need for foreign language graduates, especially those speaking Armenian and Hebrew, adding that they would be able to find jobs easily.