Minister Tekin stated that more than 70 years have passed since October 17, 1951, the date when imam hatip schools were reopened.

 

Mentioning former Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, former Minister of National Education Tevfik İleri and Mahmut Celalettin Ökten, who contributed to the revival of Imam Hatip schools, Minister Tekin stated that Thanks to many countless heroes, Imam Hatip schools have reached a certain point today.

 

Minister Tekin stated that February 28 was an attempt to both harm the education system and break the connection with the spiritual values of the country and the Turkish nation, and therefore stated that the February 28 process should be considered as the second breaking point.

 

Minister Tekin emphasized that Imam Hatip schools are on the rise again, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's steps to eliminate the legacies left by the coup elements in Türkiye, not only in education but also in other areas.

 

Stating that they attach importance to students' activities outside of school, Tekin stated that they do not want children to stay only in school and classroom buildings. Stating that teachers want to develop the culture of working with children on subjects other than lessons, Minister Tekin said that they want to create the infrastructure for social events such as competitions, symposiums, panels and projects to be used in children's transition to the next level, in order to support the development trend in different areas of Türkiye.

 

Congratulating students who participated in the event for shaping their educational lives in different areas other than classes, Minister Tekin also thanked the teachers.

 

Stating that students expressed their complaints about "the reintroduction of grade repetition in high schools and the regulation on absenteeism", Tekin explained the reasons behind the regulations.

 

Underlining that they make all these regulations for the benefit of children, Minister Tekin stated that there is a future ahead of students where they will have difficulty in competing. Tekin warned the students that if they do not educate themselves well, it will be too late to start over again after a few years, and underlined that they offer students options. Minister Tekin said that students who move to the next grade by being absent and worrying about failing will have difficulties for the rest of their lives, and stated that he wants the students to live successful, prosperous, healthy and happy lives in the remaining parts of their lives. Stating that they want to support the students, Minister Tekin stated that although the first few years of the students will be difficult, everything will be fine after that.

 

Minister Tekin, who also made evaluations about the regulation regarding Turkish and Turkish Language and Literature courses, reminded the criticisms about not being able to speak two words despite the foreign language education received during the 16-year education period, including undergraduate education. Stating that he found the criticisms correct, Minister Tekin emphasized that they wanted to improve children's native language and native language skills in the first place.

 

Pointing out that in this way, not only foreign language courses but all other courses will be easier to understand, Tekin said that those with strong native language skills will be more successful in competitive exams, and that having strong native language skills will make serious contributions in job exams and interviews.

 

Making evaluations about Turkish lessons, Minister Tekin pointed out that the questions that students have the most difficulty in ALES, YKS and LGS exams are paragraph questions. Noting that students want to improve their native language skills so that they can express themselves comfortably, Minister Tekin stated that they wanted the students to be happier and more successful in their future when making these regulations. Stressing that they made such decisions because they thought about the students, Minister Tekin underlined that although the students were uncomfortable with these decisions at first, they would thank them a few years later.

 

AK Party Group Deputy Chairman Leyla Şahin Usta stated that, as a graduate, she was happy to see the progress of Imam Hatip schools.

 

Stating that she got into the faculty of medicine after Imam Hatip High School, but was expelled 1 year before graduation due to the headscarf ban during the February 28 period, Usta expressed that she did not give up. Noting that the coefficient application was imposed on vocational high schools and Imam Hatip graduates at that time, Usta stated that they buried all of these in those dirty and dusty pages of history. Stating that she is pleased to be with students as their sister who serves this country as a physician and as a member of parliament.

 

Governor of Vasip Şahin Ankara and Director General of Religious Education Ahmet İşleyen also made speeches.