Hüseyin Çelik
Encyclopedia
Hüseyin Çelik is a former Minister of National Education
of Turkey and member of parliament for Van
for the ruling Justice and Development Party
.
Çelik graduated in Turkish language and literature from Istanbul University
in 1983 and went on to a career as an academic at Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi
, eventually becoming assistant professor in 1997. From 1988-1991 he studied towards a Masters Degree in politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies
in the University of London
. His focus was on the late-Ottoman Empire
writer and thinker Ali Suavi
.
During the 1990s he wrote a column on Ottoman era politics and other issues for the nationalist-leaning social and political science journal Türkiye Günlüğü. He has published 15 books on politics, culture, history etc. has also edited and annotated an edition of the work "Şinasi" by Ottoman writer Ziyad Ebuzziya.
He was elected to parliament for Van as a member of Suleyman Demirel
's DYP in 1999, moving to the newly-founded AK Party in 2001. He was elected parliamentary chief and then following the AK Party's election victory in 2003, he became Minister of Culture and then Minister of Education.
During his brief tenure as Minister of Culture he is remembered for immediately sacking the entire Board for the Protection of Culture and Nature . Regional bodies set up to monitor archaeology and other research throughout the country, led by architect and champion of Anatolia's cultural heritage Oktay Ekinci, one of those dismissed. Çelik was then accused of taking this action under pressure from AK Party MP for Muğla
Hasan Özyer in order to enable the Muğla coastline to be developed for mass-market tourism.
As Minister of Education as well as curriculum reform and all the day-to-day running of the school system, Çelik has had to deal with a number of issues including:
He made headlines when the media announced that he was related to PKK cofounder Selahattin Çelik.
Ministry of National Education (Turkey)
The Ministry of National Education is a government ministry of the Republic of Turkey, responsible for the supervision of public and private educational system, agreements and authorizations under a national curriculum....
of Turkey and member of parliament for Van
Van, Turkey
Van is a city in southeastern Turkey and the seat of the Kurdish-majority Van Province, and is located on the eastern shore of Lake Van. The city's official population in 2010 was 367,419, but many estimates put this as much higher with a 1996 estimate stating 500,000 and former Mayor Burhan...
for the ruling Justice and Development Party
Justice and Development Party (Turkey)
The Justice and Development Party , abbreviated JDP in English and AK PARTİ or AKP in Turkish, is a centre-right political party in Turkey. The party is the largest in Turkey, with 327 members of parliament...
.
Çelik graduated in Turkish language and literature from Istanbul University
Istanbul University
Istanbul University is a Turkish university located in Istanbul. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square.- Synopsis :A madrasa, a religious school, was established sometime in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. An institution of higher education named the...
in 1983 and went on to a career as an academic at Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi
Van Yüzüncü Yil Üniversitesi
Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi is a large university, run by the Turkish State, situated within an extensive campus, located on the outskirts of the city of Van. It was established in 1982....
, eventually becoming assistant professor in 1997. From 1988-1991 he studied towards a Masters Degree in politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
in the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. His focus was on the late-Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
writer and thinker Ali Suavi
Ali Suavi
Ali Suavi worked as a teacher at Bursa elementary school and preached at Sehzade Mosque in Istanbul; writer at Philip Efendi’s newspaper Muhbir; worked in different positions at offices in Simav, Plovdiv and Sofia. He was member of Young Ottomans and editor of its official journal...
.
During the 1990s he wrote a column on Ottoman era politics and other issues for the nationalist-leaning social and political science journal Türkiye Günlüğü. He has published 15 books on politics, culture, history etc. has also edited and annotated an edition of the work "Şinasi" by Ottoman writer Ziyad Ebuzziya.
He was elected to parliament for Van as a member of Suleyman Demirel
Süleyman Demirel
Sami Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel, better known as Süleyman Demirel , is a Turkish politician who served as Prime Minister seven times and was the ninth President of Turkey.-Life:Demirel was born in İslamköy, a town in Isparta Province...
's DYP in 1999, moving to the newly-founded AK Party in 2001. He was elected parliamentary chief and then following the AK Party's election victory in 2003, he became Minister of Culture and then Minister of Education.
During his brief tenure as Minister of Culture he is remembered for immediately sacking the entire Board for the Protection of Culture and Nature . Regional bodies set up to monitor archaeology and other research throughout the country, led by architect and champion of Anatolia's cultural heritage Oktay Ekinci, one of those dismissed. Çelik was then accused of taking this action under pressure from AK Party MP for Muğla
Mugla
Muğla is a city in south-western Turkey. It is the center of the district the same name, as well as of Muğla Province, which stretches along Turkey´s Aegean coast. Muğla center is situated inland at an altitude of 660 m and lies at a distance of about from the nearest seacoast in the Gulf of...
Hasan Özyer in order to enable the Muğla coastline to be developed for mass-market tourism.
As Minister of Education as well as curriculum reform and all the day-to-day running of the school system, Çelik has had to deal with a number of issues including:
- pressure from the European Union to re-open the Greek Orthodox Halki seminaryHalki seminaryThe Halki seminary, formally the Theological School of Halki , was founded on 1 October 1844 on the island of Halki , the second-largest of the Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara. It was the main school of theology of the Eastern Orthodox Church's Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople until...
school in Istanbul. - pressure from graduates and parents, the majority of them AK Party voters, to change the rules that currently limit graduates of the conservative Imam Hatip schoolImam Hatip schoolIn Turkey, an Imam Hatip school ) is a secondary education institution. As the name suggests, they were originally founded in lieu of a vocational school to train government employed imams; after madrasas in Turkey were abolished by the Unification of Education Act as a part of Atatürk's...
s to studying only religious studies at university. - a number of clashes with the Higher Education BoardCouncil of Higher Education (Turkey)The Council of Higher Education is responsible for the supervision of universities in Turkey, in a capacity defined by articles 130 and 131 of the 1982 constitution.- See also :* Turkish Academy of Sciences...
over issues ranging from the Imam Hatip issue to the appointment and dismissal of individual university rectors.
He made headlines when the media announced that he was related to PKK cofounder Selahattin Çelik.