Theology diploma divides high board
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Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 04, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - An annotation on the theology diplomas reads: ’Admissible to work for the Presidency of Religious Affairs Directorate and/or for religious service class,’ which meant the diplomas were not valid for public service jobs outside the religious services sphere
The Higher Education Board, or YÖK, has ignited controversy with its latest decision to remove an annotation from the diplomas of theology school graduates that prevented holders from working in the public sector outside religious roles.
The annotation on the diplomas read: "Admissible to work for the Presidency of Religious Affairs Directorate and/or for religious service class," which meant the diplomas were not valid for public service jobs outside the religious services sphere. YÖK changed the status of the diplomas with its decision Jan. 15, clearing the path for graduates from theology schools to work in different areas of public service.
Comparisions
YÖK’s move is being related to the debate generated by a proposed increase in the ratio of graduates from religious high schools entering universities, which has been ongoing for years.
YÖK’s decision has been met with media criticism, which seems to have divided the institution into two, Fikret Bila from daily Miiliyet reported in his column yesterday. The members of the General Board are constantly disagreeing on the matter with the acting chairman, Professor Yusuf Ziya Özcan, who is also YÖK’s president.
Bülent Serim, YÖK member and a former general secretary for the Constitutional Court, found the decision wrong both in form and context, and was also wrongly reflected to the public. "YÖK’s decision is reflected to the public as a General Board decision. However, YÖK’s Acting Board made that decision, not the General Board. The Acting Board cannot make decisions on matters outside of the authorities granted to it by the General Board," he said. Serim said removing the annotation from the diplomas was not within the scope of the Acting Board’s authority. "The Acting Board’s making decisions in an area in which it has no authority and lacks legal basis."
Serim also said the decision was wrong in context too, because the law for the unity of education is for the defense of secularism in education. "The only exception here is theology education, which is for raising ecclesiastics." Serim said the means for divinity graduates to apply to other fields of public service was the base for setting up cadres of a particular kind in public services.
Özdemir Aktan, president of the Istanbul Medical Board, said they would apply to the European Court of Human Rights for the cancellation of a YÖK decision that reinstates compulsory service for academics.
"The doctors are obliged to perform compulsory service when they graduate from medical school. They are obliged to serve a second compulsory service if they choose to specialize in another field. Now, the same doctor will be sent to compulsory service again if he intends to be an associate professor, an assistant professor or a professor. This is very unfair," Aktan said.
Professor Özcan defended YÖK’s decision, saying that it was due to need. "There are 19 professors in a faculty and no associate professors, no assistant professors and no researchers below them. Another has 43 teachers and no one below them," he said.
The annotation on the diplomas read: "Admissible to work for the Presidency of Religious Affairs Directorate and/or for religious service class," which meant the diplomas were not valid for public service jobs outside the religious services sphere. YÖK changed the status of the diplomas with its decision Jan. 15, clearing the path for graduates from theology schools to work in different areas of public service.
Comparisions
YÖK’s move is being related to the debate generated by a proposed increase in the ratio of graduates from religious high schools entering universities, which has been ongoing for years.
YÖK’s decision has been met with media criticism, which seems to have divided the institution into two, Fikret Bila from daily Miiliyet reported in his column yesterday. The members of the General Board are constantly disagreeing on the matter with the acting chairman, Professor Yusuf Ziya Özcan, who is also YÖK’s president.
Bülent Serim, YÖK member and a former general secretary for the Constitutional Court, found the decision wrong both in form and context, and was also wrongly reflected to the public. "YÖK’s decision is reflected to the public as a General Board decision. However, YÖK’s Acting Board made that decision, not the General Board. The Acting Board cannot make decisions on matters outside of the authorities granted to it by the General Board," he said. Serim said removing the annotation from the diplomas was not within the scope of the Acting Board’s authority. "The Acting Board’s making decisions in an area in which it has no authority and lacks legal basis."
Serim also said the decision was wrong in context too, because the law for the unity of education is for the defense of secularism in education. "The only exception here is theology education, which is for raising ecclesiastics." Serim said the means for divinity graduates to apply to other fields of public service was the base for setting up cadres of a particular kind in public services.
Özdemir Aktan, president of the Istanbul Medical Board, said they would apply to the European Court of Human Rights for the cancellation of a YÖK decision that reinstates compulsory service for academics.
"The doctors are obliged to perform compulsory service when they graduate from medical school. They are obliged to serve a second compulsory service if they choose to specialize in another field. Now, the same doctor will be sent to compulsory service again if he intends to be an associate professor, an assistant professor or a professor. This is very unfair," Aktan said.
Professor Özcan defended YÖK’s decision, saying that it was due to need. "There are 19 professors in a faculty and no associate professors, no assistant professors and no researchers below them. Another has 43 teachers and no one below them," he said.