GETTY Turkish teachers were arrested and accused of involvement in Gulen movement

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After the failed July coup, in which army generals attempted to overthrow the Government, thousands of teachers were removed from schools. Those who lost their jobs had been accused of involvement with the Gülen movement - the group which follows cleric Fethullah Gulen - who is accused of masterminding the attempt. Before the devastating battle in Ankara, in which more than 200 people were killed, the education system was widely labelled the pillar of secular Turkey. Now, plans are being put in place for the Government to replace staff and re-open schools.

GETTY Turkish people took to the streets to defend their democracy

Şakir Voyvot, the newly appointed director of the Kabataş Grammar School in Istanbul, said he hopes for Islamic teachings to take precedence in schools. He said: "The time has come to turn our schools into religious training centres. "With God's will we will build such new schools everywhere." Turkish journalist Yavuz Baydar said the mass firing of teachers in the country “fatally weakened” the education system, amid talks of expansion religious centres. He said: “Normally such statements in Turkey would trigger an outcry, but nothing is normal here anymore. Imam-Hatip-schools, as these religious institutions are called, are a favourite project of President Erdoğan and the AKP. “Kabataş is one of 155 renowned Istanbul high schools, which are currently under pressure by the government.”

GETTY Turkish people slept in the streets to make sure the attempt could not succeed

However, it has come to light Turkish students are staging protests over the expulsion of staff. On Wednesday evening parents demonstrated in Istanbul. A mother whose children are studying at the Vefa high school, told the daily BirGün: "What has happened here is the destruction of this school, the summer holidays have been over for a month and the classes do not have teachers, no one has the right to do this to our students." Journalist Özgür Mumcu wrote: "The best schools in the country now run the risk that Islamic groups will undermine them. “They are supposed to be transformed into schools that serve the one-party state and whose goal it is to bring back generations of religious people. Our republic is losing its schools. Citizens, are you aware of this great danger?" Baris Yarkadaş, deputy of the Kemalist CHP, said: "The ACP has been trying to control the schools since 2014. Now all the successful schools are being targeted, and in many cases students have not been taught for four weeks. Books haven't even been distributed yet."

A look back on the shocking Turkish military coup that left 294 dead Wed, July 27, 2016 The violent military coup to overthrow Turkey's President Erdogan has 'failed' leaving at least 104 dead and more than 1,500 wounded Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 42 A police officer talks with the soldiers involved in the coup attempt after they surrendered

The Government has insisted it had to rid schools of people who supported the Gulen movement, though many say they have been falsely accused. In the mean time, thousands of children have been left with too few educators. Teachers' union Eğitim-Sen states that in the new school year about one million students have no teachers, some believe that figure could reach 1.5 million. The teachers were put out of their posts using new laws brouhgt in as the country declared a state of emergency. The CHP filed a case against the decrees but the Constitutional Court dismissed the action.

GETTY Fethullah Gulen accused of being the mastermind of the failed coup attempt