Türkiye’de Zorunlu Arapça Hazırlık Programı (İlahiyat Fakülteleri Çerçevesinde)
Authors: Orhan Davut 
Published: September 2023

In Turkey, state educational institutions start teaching Arabic in the primary and secondary grades and continue through higher education. Undergraduate level Arabic education is provided within the purview of independent or different departments in the Arabic Language and Literature, Arabic Teaching, Translation, and Interpreting programs of higher education institutions. Courses in Arabic Language and Rhetoric are required to be taught throughout at least six semesters in the theology faculties' curricula. Additionally, undergraduate programs that offer instruction in a foreign language, either entirely or in part, must begin with a preparation course. The outcomes and benefits of required foreign language preparation lessons differ because of the different motivations behind them. Nevertheless, taking into account a number of factors, it is possible to conclude that it adds value to undergraduate programs outside of theology faculties in terms of literature and foreign language education, in addition to acquiring communicative Arabic skills, and because it is the language of instruction in theology programs. When thinking about theological faculties in the context of preparatory classes, it is clear that the primary goal is to develop reading comprehension skills, with communicative abilities serving as a backup. In this context, morphology and syntax are provided as the theoretical foundation. This opinion is supported by the relevant units' justifications for opening a preparatory class in general, for being able to follow Arabic language courses in the student's field of study, for being able to read and comprehend the subjects, and for having fundamental Arabic language abilities. It is clear that the goal is to carry it out as a language education, and not built around reading-comprehension of the fundamental Arabic language resources. This study intended to answer questions regarding the mandated Arabic preparatory program within the scope of faculties of theology, including its legal basis, purpose, and practical implementation. It also shed light on the primary issues and practical solutions to those issues. Additionally, specific actions that should and should not be taken to improve the standard and effectiveness of education and training and to guarantee its continuity have been explored and added to the body of literature. In this context, it is clear that there are numerous issues with the Arabic preparatory program that are caused by both theory and practice, as well as the pertinent laws. In particular, structural issues are considered as the main barrier preventing the program from achieving its objective, and it has been found that some secondary issues that are not promptly treated result in more significant issues. Therefore, it has been determined that it is absolutely necessary to create a standard framework, taking into account both national practices and practices in other countries around the World, that can be used as a reference in terms of Arabic education, in which the goals and accomplishments are determined to a large extent, and the differences between institutions are minimized.