ABSTRACT

This chapter starts with a brief history of the education system and religion in modern Turkey, with an emphasis on the establishment, growth, and decline of İmam-Hatip schools. It then discusses the AKP’s policy on religious education by focusing on the revival of İmam-Hatips. It argues that İmam-Hatips are not a threat to secular democracy as they are strictly controlled by the state. It also discusses the current challenges and some possible future trajectories. It contends that while there has been a revival of İmam-Hatips, their glory days are long gone. It calls for a further pluralisation of the education system in Turkey.