Schooling system and administration practices of religious education

Abstract

In this chapter, the dynamics of educational management practices in a religious school type in Turkey were examined. The purpose of the establishment of Imam-Hatip schools has been examined in historical integrity, and some inferences have been made in terms of religion and religious education in the Ottoman State and the Republic of Turkey. For this purpose, first of all, the relationship between religion and education has been discussed since the founding years of the Turkish Republic. The establishment and development process of Imam-Hatip schools, as institutions where religious education is given, have been examined by establishing their relationship with political, social and cultural variables. The characteristics of parents and students who prefer these schools in Turkey and leadership practices in schools are discussed around various studies in the literature. According to the opinions of school administrators and teachers working in Imam-Hatips, the advantages and disadvantages of working in an institution with religious education are given. As can be clearly seen in this chapter, there are limited studies on religious education practices in the context of educational administration. This situation makes it difficult to handle, evaluate and develop the practices in these schools from a scientific point of view. Considering the fact that educational administration as a Western-origin field is increasingly examined in the context of Asian and Muslim countries and the recent contributions of different cultures to the field, it can be predicted that not only philosophical and political but also scientific debates will intensify in the coming years on leadership and management in Imam-Hatip schools. This chapter has been compiled as a guide to these discussions.