Turkey has seized 848 student dormitories for affiliation with the faith-based Gülen movement since a failed coup attempt in 2016 and handed 769 of them over to pro-government foundations and associations, according to the Education Ministry.
The ministry issued a statement on Monday answering a parliamentary question submitted by an opposition deputy in July.
Turkey accuses the Gülen movement of orchestrating the 2016 abortive putsch, although it strongly denies any involvement.
According to the statement a total of 2,642 student accommodation facilities were run by private associations and 393 by foundations in Turkey.
The opposition has been criticizing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government for outsourcing these services to third parties instead of opening state-run institutions for students.
Turkey’s pro-government Islamic groups are keenly interested in running student dormitories, which allows them to reach the younger generation.