Minister Tekin: We want to make Imam Hatip schools a global model

Speaking at the program, Minister Tekin said, "I said we want to make imam-hatip schools a global model. We are working with the General Directorate of Religious Education to implement certain steps that will improve the quality of our imam-hatip schools, as well as the quality of our other schools. What we are currently working on is to coordinate with the Council of Higher Education to revise the staff, or all of them, who teach vocational courses at imam-hatip high schools and religious culture and ethics at other schools, and certainly to specialize in these areas."

The Imam Hatip Schools Successful Examples Exhibition and Award Ceremony, organized by the General Directorate of Religious Education of the Ministry of National Education, was held at the 1071 Congress Center of the Istanbul Büyük Çamlıca Mosque, on the 74th anniversary of the reopening of imam hatip schools. Attendees included Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin, President of Religious Affairs Safi Arpaguş, General Director of Religious Education Ahmet İşleyen, school administrators, teachers, and students. The program began with works performed by students of the Music Department of Üsküdar Hakkı Demir Anatolian Imam Hatip High School, conducted by artist and academic Prof. Dr. Fatih Koca. More than 60 imam hatip schools received awards for their projects in the fields of science, technology, and technology.

'RELIGIOUS TEACHERS WILL EXPERTISE THEIR COURSES'

Speaking at the program, Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin said, "We are working with the General Directorate of Religious Education to implement certain steps that will improve the quality of our imam-hatip schools, as well as the quality of our other schools. One of these is something we haven't been able to implement since we first began working on it as undersecretary. That is, we need to take steps to enhance the professional development and qualifications of our teachers, particularly those who teach vocational courses at imam-hatip schools, and generally those who teach religion, culture, and ethics in all of our schools. Moving beyond this, and considering the division of labor and specialization, which are among the main reference values ​​for our teachers in this category, we also need to ensure their specialization. What we are currently working on, together with our General Director of Religious Education, is to revise the staff, or all of them, of those who teach vocational courses at imam-hatip high schools and, more importantly, religious culture and ethics courses at other schools, in coordination with the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to ensure that they specialize in their respective fields."

'TEACHERS WILL BE ASSIGNED ACCORDING TO THEIR AGE GROUPS'

Minister Tekin said, "Our faculty, theology faculty, is currently the source for teaching courses in religion, culture, ethics, and relationships. One of our teachers, a young person who graduated from theology faculty, teaches the courses I just mentioned. He also teaches one of the courses in middle schools. To ensure higher quality and effectiveness of religious education, I suggest appointing a separate group of teachers, differentiated by age group, to teach language, culture, ethics in elementary and middle schools, and to receive pedagogical training in this area. Therefore, I suggest we organize this area accordingly. We are working on this."

'OUR GOAL IS TO OPEN SCHOOLS WHERE POSITIVE SCIENCES WILL BE TEACHED TOGETHER WITH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION'

Minister Tekin said, "Some people who can't bear to listen to us, who have difficulty understanding us because they can't bear to listen, and who struggle to understand us because they have such intolerance, didn't understand these sentences either. In other words, there's no model that provides both religious education in the Islamic sense and education in the positive sciences. This is a brand value of ours. Now, I'm saying let's turn this into an international brand. I mean, let's make it so we can open schools with this model all over the world. They misunderstand this too. I don't understand what they misunderstand, though. But they do. This is one of the issues we're working on now. Hopefully, in the near future, we will have opened schools that will serve as examples in this regard in many different countries."

"THE IMAM HATIP GENERATION WILL BUILD THE CIVILIZATION THAT WILL BRING PEACE AND SAFETY TO THE WORLD"

Speaking at the program, President of Religious Affairs Safi Arpaguş said, "These schools and their devoted representatives have pioneered the raising of a generation that is committed to civilizational values, loves its homeland and nation, is knowledgeable, virtuous, and moral. Because Imam Hatip schools are a manifestation of the longing for a well-equipped upbringing, far from all kinds of extremism, thanks to the timeless example of our Prophet. Imam Hatip schools and the generations raised in these schools are the embodiment of a lofty ideal such as rebuilding a civilization of mercy under the guidance of Islam. This blessed generation of Imam Hatip schools represents a great ideal that aims for the unity and solidarity of Muslims and the peace and salvation of all humanity. My esteemed minister, my valued brothers and sisters. As we all witness, humanity is going through a difficult period today. Wars, occupations, massacres have unfortunately surrounded humanity from all sides. The world is in need of goodness, justice, and mercy today. I would like to express with all my sincerity that the basis of all these problems is the lack of knowledge." Wisdom is the separation of technology from morality. Unfortunately, in the modern age, human and moral values ​​have been marginalized, weakened, and unfortunately lost. As the heirs of a civilization that has served humanity well and as the Imam Hatip generation, our duty is to strive to change this unfortunate history of humanity. We must bring the life-giving truths of Islam, universal values ​​such as justice, compassion, and mercy, to life more powerfully and present them to humanity's understanding. I believe with all my heart that, by God's grace, this generation has been formed, and from within it will emerge many fine examples that will guide humanity through its crises and salvation. Today, with God's permission and grace, these young people, who are the continuation of this generation, will build the civilization that will bring peace and tranquility to the world. Therefore, in my opinion, the existence, efforts, and exemplary stance of the Imam Hatip generation are of vital importance not only for our nation but for all of humanity.

DHA

Reporter: News Center