Throughout the Ottoman Empire, an essential goal of education was to raise 'good Muslims'. Therefore there was a need for Islamic scholars, which was sustained through Islamic Faith Schools, called Madrasa.In 1913, the Medresetü-l Eimmeti vel Hutaba (School of ministers and preachers Medresetü-l Vaazin were integrated to form the concrete origins of today's Imam Hatip high schools
In 1924, the Tevhid-i Tedrisat (Law of Unification of Educational Direction was passed, replacing the existing, mostly sectarian instructional system with a nonreligious, centralist and nationalist education one. The brand-new law brought all universities under the control of the Ministry of National Education. A Faculty of Theology at the Darülfünun (Istanbul University), special schools for training imams and hatips (ministers and preachers) were opened by the new Ministry of National Education. Nevertheless, in 1930 İmam Hatip schools were closed and 1933 the Faculty of Divinity was abolished.
In contrast to the solely secularist nature of the education policy of the Republican Individuals's Party (CHP) religious education was renewed in 1948. This consisted of the facility of a Professors of Faith at the University of Ankara in 1949. First steps for the establishment of Imam Hatip schools began in 1951 under the Democrat Celebration federal government, which established 7 unique secondary schools (Imam Hatip Okulları). In addition, in 1959 Islamic Institutes were opened for graduates of Imam Hatip schools.
Following the coup d'etat in 1960, Imam Hatip schools came across the hazard of closure. Following the go back to civilian politics and the intro of the new constitution in 1961, graduates of Imam Hatip schools could only register in university programs if they had passed courses provided at secular schools. Throughout the premiership of Süleyman Demirel nevertheless, graduates of Imam Hatip schools were provided access to university without such requirements. The 1971 Turkish coup d'état introduced two key reforms: first of all junior high Imam Hatip schools were eliminated, and in 1973 Imam Hatip schools were relabelled as Imam Hatip high schools. Under the subsequent National Education Basic Law, Imam Hatip schools were defined as professional schools, where trainees were to be trained as preachers and ministers or prepared for greater education.
Imam Hatip schools grew slowly at initially, however their numbers broadened quickly to 334 during the 1970s. The coalition government of 1974, developed by the CHP and the MSP (National Salvation Party), committed to resume junior highs and giving the right of entry to university through evaluation. 230 new Imam Hatip high schools were opened in a duration of nearly four years. Throughout the 1974-75 academic year the number of students attending to the Imam Hatip high schools grew to 48,895. This number consequently grew to 200,300 by 1980-81. In addition, women got the right of entry to Imam Hatip high schools in 1976. The expansion of Imam Hatip high schools is typically cited as the result of the National Redemption Party's subscription of a number of coalitions with Nationalist Front federal governments.
Circumstance since 1980
The coup d'etat of September 12, 1980 is website a vital turning point in the history of Turkey and also for the history of Ä°mam-Hatip high schools. Under military governance, graduates of Imam Hatip high schools got the right of entry to all university departments. In 1985, two brand-new Imam Hatip high schools opened, one in Tunceli, despite of the so-called ethnic structure of the area, and the other in Beykoz as an Anatolian Imam Hatip High School, with the objective of contributing to the education of children of households who work abroad. Although the variety of Imam Hatip high schools had not increased considering that, the number of students participating in Imam Hatip high schools has increased by 45%. This is partly due to the enhancement in the quality of Imam Hatip high schools and the education used at such schools.
During the education year of 1973-74, the total variety of Imam Hatip trainees was 34,570; in 1997 this number had greatly increased to reach 511,502. Together with this enormous increase in popularity, the variety of schools likewise increased. The variety of Imam Hatip junior high schools reached 601 and senior high schools 402. The increase in both trainee and school numbers can be attributed to elements consisting of the commitment of people to faith, dorm centers, scholarships, the admittance of women and a boost in demand for religious education.
Research suggests that between the years of 1993 and 2000, prospective trainees signed up at Imam Hatip high schools mostly to receive spiritual tutoring alongside a more basic education.In addition, research shows enrolment at Imam Hatip high schools was based solely on the student's decision. The third proposed aspect in the increase in popularity of Imam Hatip schools is the admission of female trainees in 1976. By 1998, nearly 100,000 females participated in Imam Hatip high schools, making up practically half of all students. This fact is especially exposing since women are not eligible to end up being either priests or ministers.
Nevertheless, the intro of eight years of compulsory education in 1997 has actually seen a sudden decline in the popularity of Imam Hatip schools. In 1999, the reclassification of Imam Hatip schools as "employment schools" indicated that, although more alternatives had actually been offered to graduates, achieving locations at prominent university courses ended up being more difficult.By requiring that all 8 required years of schooling be spent under the same primary-school roofing, middle schools were eliminated. Kids could not go into occupation schools (among them the Imam Hatip school) until the ninth grade (rather than the sixth, as before).