15/08/2021
Announcement🚨🚨🚨
Dear Our Parents, Students, the Staff and out School Community at Large
It is sad to announce that the Ethiopian Federal and Oromia High Courts have decided the transfer of the management of our Intellectual Schools to Turkish Maarif Foundation. Neither the management nor the owners are given the chance to defend. The reason given by the courts to decide so is the claim by Turkish Government of the schools on the basis of the “involvement” of the owners in the Coup Deta’t that happened long ago in 2017. The Turkish government has accused of the owners to have involved in this Coup Deta’t through financial assistance.
As all know, “STEM Education Plc” or “Intellectual schools” has nothing to do with the Turkish Coup Deta’t. This school is purely the property of German Investors. They have acquired the Company by complying all the legal requirements in 2018 after assessment of the Ethiopian investment climate. Before acquisition, they came to Ethiopia two times with their German Lawyer. During acquisition, they have complied with all legal requirements. After acquisition, they have changed the name of the Company from “Kaynak” to “STEM”, and the trade name from “Nejashi Ethio-Turkish” to “Intellectual”. The names “STEM” and “Intellectual” have nothing to do with Turkey. They are intangible assets of the German investors.
All Ethiopian authorities have got involved during the process of acquisition. The Ethiopian Investment Agency has invited the German investors; the Ethiopian Immigration Authority has given business Visas to the German investors and their lawyer; the Ethiopian Revenue Authority and Ministry of Trade have given clearances; and the Ethiopian Documents Authentication & Registration Office has verified and authenticated the Acquisition Resolutions. In the aftermath of the legal acquisition of the company, the German investors have paid all transfer taxes. On top of all these, they have opened two new branches, Ferensai & CMC, and introduced the British Cambridge Curriculum. They have never repatriated their dividend, rather they have heavily invested their money and reinvested their business earnings. The appointment of the Veteran German Scientist, Dr. Norbert Helmut Dinse, as the General Manger of the Company has tremendously brought all these transformations. In spite of all these, these German investors have been blamed of terrorism, corruption and money laundering The Turkish and Ethiopian Prosecutions have also grouped and suspected the scientist who transformed our school as a terrorist, corrupt and participant of money laundering. We will leave the Verdict to those who know the ins and outs of our school and to God.
We have made all efforts to avert such consequences. While giving their rulings, the Oromia Special Zone High Court and the Federal High Court have not given the company a chance to be heard and defend. The Turkish Embassy & Maarif Foundation invaded our schools and the head office with gunned police. It is only after these incidences that we learned the presence of court orders. Now, we are evicted from our company. We have informed this to the owners and the German government to protect their hard-won investment.
We were planning to conduct press release and officially announce the happening in mass Medias but our lawyers advised us that such act may tantamount to contravention of judicial independence and court contempt. We are trying to apply to both courts which have given such rulings to reverse their orders. We are not sure of the outcomes. We are willing to supply the copies of the rulings of the Courts and their English translations through email, telegram and other means of electronic communications.
Hence, this is to inform all stakeholders that the responsibility of managing these schools has been ordained on Maarif Foundation by the Rulings of the Ethiopian Courts and we are no more responsible from August 16/2021 onwards.
We are grateful for those who have suffered with us during these hard times!
