Factors affecting the high school choices of Imam Hatip Secondary School graduates (Sakarya example)

Imam Hatip Schools, which were established with The law of Tevhid-i Tedrisat on March 3, 1924, started education at the secondary school level in 29 provinces. Imam Hatip Schools were closed officially in 1930 and de facto in 1932 but were reopened as a 4-year secondary school in 1951. Imam Hatip Schools, whose high school sections were opened in 1954, were closed again in the 1997/'98 academic year with the transition to an 8-year uninterrupted education system. Imam Hatip Secondary Schools were reopened in 2012 with the transition to the 4+4+4 compulsory education system. However, with this new system, the middle sections of Imam Hatip Schools and the high school sections could be opened as different institutions. With this new system, it has been observed that those who graduated from Imam Hatip Secondary Schools turned to different high schools along with IHL in their high school preferences. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the factors affecting the high school preferences of Imam Hatip Secondary School graduates. This research is limited to the survey conducted with 729 IHL graduates studying in 4 IHL, 10 high schools, a total of 14 schools in Sakarya Province in the 2022/'23 academic year. Mixed research method, in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected, was used as the research method. Descriptive scanning method was preferred in the quantitative dimension, and case study method was preferred in the qualitative dimension. The survey method was used as a data collection tool in the quantitative dimension, different surveys were prepared for the IHL working group and high school working groups other than IHL, and in the qualitative dimension, interview questions were asked to the students. Quantitative data were interpreted with descriptive analysis, and chi-square analysis was performed regarding the variables. In the qualitative dimension, descriptive analysis was conducted. In our research, it was seen that family guidance was effective in students' IHO preferences after primary school. It was concluded that the students were highly satisfied with IHO and especially with the vocational courses, except for the Arabic course, but despite this satisfaction, it was observed that they did not have the same motivation to choose IHO again. The most common reason given by the students who preferred IHL was family guidance, as in the reasons for choosing IHL. It has been observed that students who do not prefer IHL have reservations about vocational courses as a result of not choosing IHL. The majority of students studying in high schools other than IHL declared that they experienced difficulty/s as IHO graduates in their schools. Finally, the majority of the students were not seen as willing to choose Imam Hatip High School again if they had the chance to choose high school again, and this was seen to be due to the students' perceptions of vocational courses, especially at IHL.