Turkish Maarif Foundation expands educational opportunities in Gambia
Turkish Maarif Foundation’s Gambia representative Ibrahim Hakkı Boyacı emphasized that as a nonprofit organization, they introduce successful students to the Turkish education system, Turkish language and culture, enabling them to continue their education in Türkiye.
Boyacı stated that the Turkish Maarif Foundation began its educational activities in Gambia in 2018 with 30 to 40 students in a small school. Due to increasing demand, they moved to a larger facility.
He reported that as of 2025, the number of students had risen to 310, with the foundation offering education at all levels, including preschool, primary, middle and high school.
Highlighting that they started graduating students in 2022, Boyacı said: “So far, we have graduated 42 students, 13 of whom are continuing their university education in Türkiye. We prioritize directing our graduates to Türkiye, and Türkiye scholarships play a crucial role in this process.”
He added that these 13 students are studying at prestigious universities in cities like Istanbul, Ankara and Bursa, mostly in political science and economics.
Boyacı also pointed out that as an international school, their graduates are accepted into institutions in Europe and the United States. “Since the Turkish Maarif Foundation is a nonprofit organization, we focus on reaching successful students, introducing them to the Turkish education system, Turkish language and culture and facilitating their further education in Türkiye,” he said and added that they are striving to reach more Gambian students.
Modou Manneh, a biology teacher at the Turkish Maarif Foundation School, noted that many foreign families in Gambia send their children to these schools because of the numerous opportunities provided.
Describing the Maarif Foundation School as one of the best in the country, Manneh said: “Students are treated equally. Both students and teachers can freely express their opinions. Activities like sports enhance interaction among students. They feel happy studying in an international school.”
Manneh highlighted that the school offers various opportunities to graduates both within and outside the country and praised the work of Maarif Foundation schools worldwide.
“I am very happy to be part of the Maarif school and to have been given this opportunity. The same opportunities provided to students are also available to teachers, with a strong emphasis on freedom of expression,” he said.
He noted that despite having only a few students when it first opened, the Maarif Foundation School continues to grow its student population compared to other foreign schools.
“These schools not only provide education but also prepare students for the roles they will play in shaping Gambia’s future. The Maarif Foundation does this not just in Gambia but in its schools worldwide. They contribute to making the world a better place and every Gambian student takes pride in studying here,” Manneh concluded.
Student Fatoumata Darboe Sillah shared that she learned about the school through social media platforms.
Already fluent in Arabic and English, she decided to attend Türkiye Maarif Foundation School to learn Turkish as a third language.
“Of course, the opportunity to pursue a university education in Türkiye after this school is also great. I want to study and build my career at a university in Türkiye. That sounds like an amazing opportunity,” Sillah said.
She expressed her happiness about studying at the Turkish Maarif Foundation School.
