Şahinbey Municipality Mehmet Emin Er Girls' Anatolian Imam Hatip High School

Şahinbey Municipality Mehmet Emin Er Girls’ Anatolian Imam Hatip High School, is a public educational institution under the Ministry of National Education of Türkiye, located in the Şahinbey district of Gaziantep. The institution operates as a project school offering both religious education for female students and a program in Science and Social Sciences. It began operations on 28 August 2013 and follows a full-day (normal) education model.^【1】

^{15 July Martyrs Corridor} (Şahinbey Belediyesi Mehmet Emin Er Kız Anadolu İmam Hatip Lisesi)

The school building was constructed by Şahinbey Municipality and donated to the Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of National Education on 28 August 2013. The institution is named after the Islamic scholar Mehmet Emin Er (1914–2013). Born in 1914 in the village of Külüyan (Kalaş), part of the Çermik district of Diyarbakır, Mehmet Emin Er received authorization in religious sciences and spent his life engaged in teaching, imamate, preaching, and religious outreach services.

Er trained numerous students, including former President of the Directorate of Religious Affairs Mehmet Görmez. He passed away in Ankara on 28 March 2013. Following a request by Şahinbey Municipality and approval by the Ministry of National Education, the school was named in his honor. The institution began accepting students in the 2013–2014 academic year and commenced official operations.^【2】

Şahinbey Municipality Mehmet Emin Er Girls’ Anatolian Imam Hatip High School is a public institution under the Ministry of National Education of Türkiye. Hierarchically, the school is affiliated with the Ministry through the Şahinbey District Directorate of National Education and the Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of National Education.

The institution’s operations are regulated under Article 42 of the Constitution of the Republic of Türkiye, the Public Financial Management and Control Act No. 5018, and relevant regulations issued by the Ministry of National Education. Internal stakeholders include ministry units, school administration, teachers, students, and the School Family Union; external stakeholders include local administrations, universities, and civil society organizations.^【3】

^{School Logo} (Şahinbey Belediyesi Mehmet Emin Er Kız Anadolu İmam Hatip Lisesi)

The school implements the Anatolian Imam Hatip High School curriculum alongside a Science and Social Sciences program. In this framework, students receive instruction in fundamental Islamic sciences as well as a curriculum weighted toward science and social sciences.

The language of instruction is Turkish. Foreign language education includes English and Arabic courses. The teaching model is full-day, with class hours scheduled between 08:00 and 15:30, and a midday break from 12:10 to 13:10.^【4】

Student admissions are based on the centralized examination (LGS) score. The school has limited capacity, and its strategic planning goals aim for 100% occupancy of these quotas. Academic achievement is the primary criterion for student selection.^【5】

The school campus is located in the Akkent neighborhood of Şahinbey district, Gaziantep, approximately eight kilometers from the city center. The physical infrastructure includes between 32 and 34 classrooms, a conference hall with a capacity of 250 people, a girls’ prayer hall with a capacity of 400, and an indoor sports hall with bleachers.

Additionally, the campus houses one each of physics, chemistry, and biology laboratories; a cinema room; a cafeteria; and a library. There are two shelters, an archive, a storage facility, and six administrative offices. The library contains 5,173 registered books. The school does not offer boarding facilities. Transportation is provided via tramway, municipal buses, and dolmuş services.^【6】

The school’s administrative staff consists of one principal and four vice principals. According to 2023 data, the number of teaching staff ranges between 56 and 63. Among subject areas, Turkish Language and Literature, Mathematics, Imam Hatip Professional Courses, and Foreign Languages have the highest number of teachers.

In addition to administrative and educational personnel, the institution employs two clerks and four service staff. The school’s organizational structure comprises the principal as chair, vice principals, the School Family Union, committees, councils, subject-area teachers, and student clubs.^【7】

The institution provides education exclusively to female students. The student population varies between 730 and 919 per term. Analysis of academic performance indicates that university placement rates have ranged between 14% and 40% over the years. To enhance student motivation, the school implements reward systems such as honor certificates, appreciation certificates, and achievement awards.^【8】

The school conducts sports activities aimed at student development, including volleyball, basketball, table tennis, and darts. Social and cultural activities include theater performances, skits, debate competitions, poetry recitals, concerts, and lectures.

Within the framework of academic guidance, the school organizes university visits, career days, profession awareness days, and mock exams. Additionally, the school hosts socially and culturally oriented activities such as intelligence games, reading events, and iftar programs.^【9】

The institution undertakes various projects in the fields of educational technology and digital competencies. It utilizes the Fatih Project’s fiber-optic internet infrastructure and meets digital security standards by holding the eSafety Bronze certification (e-Güvenlik Bronz Etiketi).

The school participates in technical and scientific events such as TEKNOFEST Aviation, Space, and Technology Festival and the Ministry of National Education International Robotics Competition. It has also defined activity areas in other categories, including European Union projects, social projects, and science projects.^【10】