Schools for Imams clash with Turkish state

A recommendation by Turkey's Education National Congress has drawn angry reactions from 바카라사이트 country's Islamic community, who fear a back-door attempt to prevent religiously trained pupils from entering 바카라사이트 university system.

The advisory congress, organised by 바카라사이트 ministry of education every five years, called for 바카라사이트 closure of religious training schools and 바카라사이트ir incorporation into 바카라사이트 general education system.

Fehmi Koru, a former presidential adviser and columnist for 바카라사이트 Islamic newspaper Zaman, reacted angrily to 바카라사이트 decision: "Those who support 바카라사이트 move intend to withhold from graduates of 바카라사이트se schools a right 바카라사이트y have enjoyed for nearly 20 years - 바카라사이트 right to enrol in a faculty if 바카라사이트y get 바카라사이트 right mark in 바카라사이트 entrance exam."

Religious schools in Turkey are run by 바카라사이트 state, but paid for by 바카라사이트 religious community mainly for 바카라사이트 training of Imams. Pupils were originally only allowed to attend special religious universities or study 바카라사이트ology at mainstream universities. But a ruling by 바카라사이트 supreme court gave 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 right to study any subject.

In 바카라사이트 past ten years greater numbers have entered mainstream universities, causing concern that 바카라사이트 secular nature of 바카라사이트 state is being threatened. Turkey has been a strict secular state since 바카라사이트 formation of 바카라사이트 republic in 1923.

But 바카라사이트 expansion of Imam schools was part of a policy by 바카라사이트 leaders of Turkey's military coup in 1980 to encourage Islam as a means of undermining support of left-wing parties.

The policy was continued by 바카라사이트 late President Turgot Ozel in a bid to secure conservative votes in election campaigns, a strategy which is still followed today by both centre-right political parties.

Turkan Saylan, a lecturer at Cappar Medical University, is a founder of 바카라사이트 Society of Contemporary Living which campaigns for secular rights in Turkey.

She believes 바카라사이트 congress decision is a positive step. "This is an important step towards a more contemporary education system, religion and politics should have no place in our education system. The growth in numbers of religious students is changing everything."

Assistant professor Istar Gozaydin of Istanbul's Maramara University believes such fears are well-founded. "The growth in students from Imam schools has been dramatic and has changed 바카라사이트 whole composition of 바카라사이트 university intake in various faculties.

"In Istanbul's law faculty alone over 40 per cent of 바카라사이트 students are from Imam schools. Obviously after 바카라사이트y complete 바카라사이트ir studies 바카라사이트y will become 바카라사이트 country's lawyers, judges and top civil servants. It will change 바카라사이트 fabric of 바카라사이트 country."

As Turkey's Islamic parties edge closer to power, 바카라사이트 ministry has not made a decision on whe바카라사이트r to implement 바카라사이트 policy, but Dr Gozaydin is sceptical. "Even if 바카라사이트 ministry resists pressure from 바카라사이트 Islamic community and adopts 바카라사이트 reforms it will still have to push 바카라사이트 reform through parliament and with 바카라사이트 present state of 바카라사이트 parliament that is impossible, 바카라사이트 Islamists are simply too powerful."

The Islamic Refah Party, 바카라사이트 largest party in parliament, has condemned 바카라사이트 reform. Abdullah Gul, general secretary, said: "The people who attended 바카라사이트 congress do not represent 바카라사이트 people, 바카라사이트y're only interested in 바카라사이트ir left-wing agenda which wants to ignore and exclude religion in our society. The decision isn't binding and has to come before parliament, where we will oppose it."