Supervision and Chaos in the Turkish Education System

Abstract

The full integration of the Turkish education system into the development and modernization process depends on the compatibility and efficiency of all its subsystems. The most important feedback tool in the success of the education system is the supervision system, which is also a subsystem of the education system. The Turkish education system needs to fulfill the functions of the Turkish education supervision system in a healthy manner—and therefore solve its existing critical problems—for the effective and efficient processing of the whole education system. Much legislation applies to the education supervision system, starting with the Ottoman Empire through the present day. However, each regulation has created new problems and sparked debates about the system. Over the years, the problems of the supervision system have become chronic and the system has drifted into uncertainty. To understand the supervision of the education system in Turkey and gain a perspective of the system, it is necessary to understand the process through which the supervision system emerged and to correctly interpret chaotic situations during this process. Supervision in the Turkish education system is known to have a chaotic structure, like the Turkish education system as a whole, and offer trainers the appearance of a future behind the frosted glass. In this chapter, the development of supervision in the Turkish education system is examined within its historical process and the reflections of daily life are examined. For this purpose, the emergence of educational supervision services in the Ottoman Empire period are first investigated. Then, the changes and chaos of educational supervision services during the Republican period are evaluated. The effects of the chaotic structure of the supervision system are explored during the process of selection, appointment, and rearing of Ministry of Education inspectors. Finally, the effects of the transfer of the teaching supervision task to school principals in terms of the education system and supervisory processes are discussed.