Not nurseries but Quran courses increased
Between 2022 and 2024, the number of Quran courses for children aged 4-6 rose by 620, while the number of nurseries increased by only eight. The number of Quran courses for children went up from 5,651 to 6,271, while the number of nurseries rose from 2,312 to 2,320.
The AKP’s effort to reshape social life has been most effective in the field of education. While religious education has been placed at the centre of every level of schooling from primary to higher education, the drive to impose religiosity in pre-school education has also accelerated. The Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) presented Quran courses for the 4-6 age group as an “alternative model to pre-school education”, while the Ministry of National Education, through its inaction, effectively left pre-school education to the monopoly of Diyanet.
The outcome of the government’s “pious generation” project is revealed in the figures comparing the number of nurseries in Turkey with the number of Quran courses for the 4-6 age group. The sharp rise in the number of Quran courses stands out.
ONLY 8 MORE
According to data from the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the number of private nurseries and daycare centres operating with official permits was 2,312 in 2022. While local authorities’ attempts to open nurseries were obstructed by ministries, no incentive policies were implemented for the private sector to open new nurseries. The number of private nurseries and daycare centres in Turkey fell to 2,242 in 2023 due to some closures. In 2024, the number rose again to 2,320. In the 2022-2025 period, the number of nurseries and daycare centres permitted by the ministry increased by only eight.
DIANET’S SURGE
In contrast to the limited increase in nurseries, the number of Diyanet’s Quran courses for 4-6 year-olds rose at record levels. The number of Quran courses for this age group, which was 5,651 in 2022, jumped to 5,988 in 2023 with the government’s support and encouragement, and to 6,271 in 2024.
The number of nurseries, daycare centres and Quran courses for children in Turkey by year was recorded as follows:
Private nurseries and daycare centres with permits from the Ministry of Family and Social Services:
- 2023: 2,242
- 2024: 2,320
- 2025 (June): 2,343
Quran courses for 4-6 year-olds under the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet):
- 2022: 5,651
- 2023: 5,988
- 2024: 6,271
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Kreşler değil, Kuran kursları arttı, published in BirGün newspaper on August 22, 2025.
