Istanbul has highest number of teachers dismissed since Turkey's coup attempt

Among the 28,163 teachers dismissed through a state of emergency decree published in Turkey's Official Gazette on Sept. 2, some 3,487 were from Istanbul, more than any other province, daily Habertürk reported on Sept. 15. 

The dismissal of teachers comes as part of measures taken by the government against individuals suspected of having links to the movement of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, believed to have been behind the failed military coup attempt of July 15.

The Central Anatolian province of Konya and the capital Ankara followed Istanbul with the highest number of dismissals. A total of 2,032 teachers were dismissed in Konya, while 1,595 were dismissed in Ankara.

Some 1,116 teachers in the northwestern province of Bursa, 1,059 in the southeastern province of Gaziantep, 898 in the Mediterranean province of Kahramanmaraş, and 878 in the western province of Manisa have been dismissed.

Numbers of dismissals are generally lowest in Turkey's east and southeast, with the eastern province of Tunceli having the lowest number of dismissals. Only seven people have been dismissed in Tunceli over suspected links to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).

Eleven teachers in the northeastern province of Ardahan, 21 in the eastern province of Hakkari, 35 in the eastern province of Iğdır, 38 in the southeastern province of Şırnak, 53 in the eastern province of Kars, and 77 in the eastern province of Ağrı have been dismissed on suspicion of being Gülenists. 

Some 43,000 teachers have been suspended by the Education Ministry since the failed coup attempt while 1,017 private schools, 823 dormitories and 283 exam preparation schools linked to FETÖ have been shut down. 

Investigations into around 14...