The situation of refugee students with disabilities in the Turkish education system: an embedded case study

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.

In the postmodern world, scientific, technological and cultural developments have significantly changed the impact of religion and led to radical changes in people's daily lives. Undoubtedly, this impact and the resulting transformation manifests itself in every field, especially in the education system. How has the Turkish education system, which has been governed by different practices in different periods, developed a perspective on religious values in the historical process? Moreover, how have the developments affecting the society in general shaped people's approach to religious institutions from an educational perspective? The Turkish education system, which is thought to be affected by the secularization process, defined as the decline in the influence of religion in modern societies, was analyzed by focusing on four different periods through research techniques such as literature review, document analysis and examination of educational policies. The research focuses on tracing the movement from the Turkish education system, which was historically influenced by religion and its cultural components, to today's Turkey, where the effects of modernization and secularization are felt. Accordingly, the article aims to examine the relationship between religious values and the Turkish Education System and analyze how this relationship has evolved over time in response to significant historical, social, cultural and political changes. In connection with this, the impact of religious values on the Turkish Education System throughout its historical development is examined, with a particular focus on the secularization process. All things considered, the importance of this paper lies in its examination of the evolving relationship between religious values and the Turkish Education System, which has been shaped by historical, cultural, social and political forces over time. In particular, the article provides valuable insights into how the secularization process, characterized by the diminishing role of religion in modern societies, has influenced educational policies and practices in Turkey.

Millions of Syrians live under temporary protection in Turkey. However, there are some problems in their integration into the education system. For the integration of Syrian students into Turkish education system, the Ministry of National Education in Turkey (MoET) initiated a Project called “Promoting Integration of Syrian Children into Turkish Education System” (PICSTES) and “Awareness Raising Training for Administrative Staff” (ARTAS), which are supported by the European Union. The aim of this study is to determine the perceptions of the administrators who have participated in ARTAS that was held within the scope of PISCTES through metaphors. Content analysis method was used in the research. The participant group of this study consists of 297 administrators (281 males and 16 females). They work in 21 different provinces. The average working year of the participants is 10.23 and the average age is 43.99. As a result of the research, 62 metaphors were obtained after the analysis of the valid metaphors developed by the administrators regarding the “PISCTES Project: ARTAS Training”. These metaphors were classified under 7 different conceptual categories. The results indicate that refugee students should not study in separate classes or schools but instead the supportive teaching courses for the students and their families should be fostered and the in-service training for administrators and teachers should be given more importance.   Key words: Syrian children, Promoting Integration of Syrian Children into Turkish Education System (PICSTES), Awareness Raising Training for Administrative Staff (ARTAS), metaphor analysis.

In this research, the influence of John Dewey’s visit to Turkey in 1924, his report on Turkish education system and its influence on Turkish education system in the early republic era were discussed. John Dewey was invited by Ministry of Education in 1924. He made investigations concerning the education system, participated in interviews, and submitted a report to the ministry. He stayed approximately two months in Istanbul and Ankara. He prepared two reports about Turkish education system: The first report was mainly about urgent addition of some allowances to the budget rather than a report on the general problems of education, and it was in nature of memorandum indicating how to share these allowances. After returning to his country, he wrote and sent the second report. Both reports were published by the Ministry of Education. Dewey emphasized a new and unique Turkish education system. Dewey stated that teachers’ salaries have to be increased rapidly, appointments should be balanced and it is crucial to provide housing for teachers. He emphasized the importance of awareness of the innovation of the managers and teachers in the education system through training magazines which will be published. He pointed out the importance of the establishment of a library in every school, and a course set on the librarianship at schools. He recommended establishment of an independent unit at the school buildings and architecture in the training organizations, and doing studies abroad on the subject. He expressed that Turkish education system was in a centralized structure whereas having a decentralized structure as well will form a structure distant from bureaucracy. Dewey’s suggestions tried to be implemented by some ministers especially by the Minister of Education, Mustafa Necati, in the early republic period. In this study, document analysis technique which was included in qualitative research methods was used. Article visualizations:

This study aims to explain the current and future situations of Syrian refugee children (SRC) in the Turkish education system in light of the views of teachers and administrators. The focal point in the study is to ascertain the situations that affect and are affected by the involvement of Syrian refugee students in the Turkish education system. In addition, findings are obtained by examining the views of immediate education stakeholders i.e., teachers and administrators on how the education system can be impacted by the rapid increase in the Turkish population of SRC. The data used in this article were drawn from the data collected from 16 teachers and school administrators working in the provinces where Syrian refugees live. Phenomenological design is used in the research. It appears that current Syrian refugee students are exposed to discrimination even though they are in cultural interaction with their peers. Besides, the aggressive behaviors of SRC are intense, and they have behavioral problems. Turkish teachers are found to feel inadequate in classroom management and transferring professional competence skills to their classrooms. Strategies of school administrations in dealing with problems are also ineffective. All these appear to negatively affect Syrian students' access to quality education as well as their academic success. With the increasing Syrian population in the future, it is expected that problems will arise that are pertinent to education policies, segregation in schools may increase and there will be a decrease in education expenditures per capita. It is expected that teachers will be at the forefront of shaping Syrians' future commitment to Türkiye, and it is recommended to reconsider teachers' attitudes and behaviors in this regard.

The purpose of the current study is to make a detailed introduction to the Greek education system and to compare it with the Turkish education system to come up with some implications for the latter. To this end, the literature was reviewed. A general introduction was made to Greece and its education system was examined considering its goals, structure and process dimensions. Similar and different aspects of the Greek and Turkish education system were discussed and various suggestions were developed. The Greek and Turkish education systems have many similarities such as having a centralized structure, students’ obligation to take a general exam to get a place at university, provision of the primary and secondary education by the state. On the other hand, these two systems differ from each in many respects such as conception of secular education, duration of compulsory education, financing of higher education, administrative structure of schools, prevalence of evening classes, appointment of principals and inspection of schools. As a result of the comparison of these two education systems, in short it can be said that: If teachers’ opinions are taken into consideration in the appointment of school principals, greater importance is attached to self-assessment, development-oriented inspection is put into effect and inspectors are obliged to have a master’s degree to be an inspector in Turkey, then some important contributions can be made to the development of the Turkish education system.

Each part of the society is directly or indirectly affected by the problems experienced in the education system. The aim of this research is to reveal the awareness of the teachers who are in the school's business and the solutions to the problems in the Turkish education system. Research is a case study from qualitative research methods and content analysis technique is used. The working group formed twenty-three teachers who worked in Ankara in the academic year of 2017-2018. Interviews were conducted with the selected teachers through the purposeful sampling method. The data were analyzed by content analysis technique. Participants all see the frequent change of the education system as the most important problem. The majority of participants think that the absence of a sound educational philosophy and the lack of a training policy based on this educational philosophy cause the above-mentioned problems to arise. In line with the opinions of the teachers, the main reasons for these problems of the Turkish education system are the fact that the Ministry of National Education is not in education, the politics of education are completely under control, errors in the curriculum, and decisions taken at ministerial level related to education.

This paper aims to discover the level of equity in the Turkish education system using maths outcomes of 15-year-old students in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) exam. In order to do that, associations between various social background variables and student performance are analysed via multilevel models. Female pupils, students from lower socio-economic backgrounds and students from eastern regions are all found to be disadvantaged in terms of maths outcomes. The biggest gap between students in Turkey is due to school types. The difference between selective academic schools and other types of schools is more than 100 points, which is equal to the difference between almost four grade years. However, the positive effect of attending selective academic schools is smaller for girls. Further investigations indicate that, in the Turkish education system, school type at secondary level represents the effects of socio-economic background and educational and physical resources at school in addition to previous achievements of pupils. Results of the analyses show that it is very hard to claim that the education system in Turkey is operating in a way that mitigates existing inequalities in the society. To the contrary, there are indications that the Turkish education system itself reproduces inequalities.

The Turkish education system adopts an inclusive approach for individuals from different cultures. However, Syrian children face various barriers such as language barriers, economic difficulties, social cohesion and cultural differences. Language barriers make it difficult for Syrian children, especially those who speak Arabic, to adapt to the Turkish education system. Economic difficulties make it difficult for families to send their children to school, while cultural differences and social cohesion problems make it difficult for children to be socially accepted in schools. This article addresses the issue of access to education for Syrian children under temporary protection in Türkiye. In the article, the general development and change of the Turkish education system is explained and the difficulties faced by Syrians under temporary protection in the education process and the solutions to these difficulties are analysed. These suggestions include the development of language education programs, improvement of legal regulations and policies, reduction of education costs and awareness raising activities to increase social cohesion and cultural sensitivity. It is also emphasised that more comprehensive and sustainable policies should be implemented to support the integration of Syrian children into the Turkish education system. It is considered that the Learning and Adaptation Together Program (LEAP) proposed by us will accelerate the access of Syrians under temporary protection to education and contribute to social cohesion.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the Turkish education system in the context of learning organizations according to the opinions of prospective teachers. In this study, in which qualitative research methods and techniques were used, the 4th grade students of Akdeniz University Faculty of Education, Department of Preschool Teaching, who took the school management course in the Turkish Education system, were asked to present their opinions and suggestions. The data were collected using the documentation technique. As a result of the research, some suggestions were made regarding the decrease in quality and quantity problems by giving place to the opinions of the teacher candidates about the Turkish Education system.

The aim of this study is to determine preservice teachers’ metaphorical perceptions regarding the following concepts: school, school principal, Turkish education system, teacher and student. This qualitative study was designed according to the principles of phenomenological model. The participants of the study are 160 preservice teachers attending the Education Faculty of a state university located in Mid-Anatolia region of Turkey during the Spring semester of 2019-2020 academic year. The data was collected by asking the participants to complete the following sentences “I liken “school” (and others) to …. because…” The data were analyzed through content analysis. The results of the study revealed 4 themes for school, 5 themes about school principal, 4 themes about Turkish Education System, 4 themes for teacher and 4 themes about student. Teacher candidates generally likened school, school principal, Turkish Education System and student to negative things, while they likened teacher to positive things.

The purpose of the current study is to make a detailed introduction to the Irish education system and to come up with some implications latter through comparing it with the Turkish education system. Accordingly, the literature was reviewed. A general introduction was made to Ireland and its education system was examined considering its goals, structure and process dimensions. Similar and different aspects of the Irish and Turkish education system were discussed, and various suggestions were developed. The Irish and Turkish education systems have many similarities in terms of having a centralized structure, students’ obligation to take a general exam at the end of secondary education, financing of schools mostly by public resources, dominance of external inspection at schools and control of higher education by higher education councils such as YÖK and HEA. On the other hand, these two systems differ from each other in terms of administrative structure of schools, time of compulsory education, secular structure of education, rights to send children to whichever school they wish and to educate children at home, financial resources allocated for education, appointment of school principals and participation of stakeholders in administration. As a result of the comparison of these two education systems, it can be said that more opportunities should be provided for stakeholders to take part in administrative processes, psychologists should be included in inspection units, more emphasis should be put on self-assessment and more guidance and counseling should be offered to students so that the education system in Turkey can develop more.

Although cinema reflects the culture of the society it is found, it cannot be said that its sole function is to reflect this culture. Cinema also questions the education policy applied in that society, the education system, and its point of view towards education and presents this questioning to its audience on the white screen. This questioning is an important tool, especially in terms of educational philosophy, because educational philosophy seeks answers to the questions and problems of education by using the cognitive tools of philosophy, like questioning and criticism, and criticism of the education policy constitutes an important part of these problems. In this study, Hababam Sınıfı-an educational-based film series, which started to be aired between 1970 and 1980, was analyzed philosophically, and some inferences were made regarding the Turkish education policy adopted at that period of time and based on these films made in the relevant period, teacher models, student characters and characteristics of the education system were revealed. Based on the teacher models/characters in the film, the expectations of the teachers from their students and the perspective of society towards the teaching profession in that period were interpreted. Similarly, based on the student models/characters in the film, the perspectives of students towards the Turkish education system, their expectations from the Turkish education system, and the effects of teachers and the education system of that period on students were analyzed. Finally, based on the teacher and student characters reflected in the films, the characteristics of the Turkish education policy and education system between 1970 and 1980 were explained, and some recommendations were made for future research.

The whole, consisting of interconnected and interacting parts that come together for a purpose, is called a system. Every system has subsystems, vitally connected to each other and interacting. However, each of them forms a whole within itself. Generally, entities in nature are grouped into three main categories: natural systems, mechanical systems, and social systems. Institutions established by people form the social system and together with culture, they form the social structure. Educational institutions, one of the basic institutions of society, are in relationship with both the material and spiritual elements of culture, just like other institutions. In this context, education and culture appear as two separate concepts that are interdependent and mutually affecting each other. In our age where social and cultural changes are experienced, the relationship between culture and education holds an important place. One of the significant factors affecting the education systems of societies is their culture. Education is also what enables the transfer of cultures to future generations. Culture is influential at every level of education and education serves as a significant tool for the transmission of culture. Therefore, it is important to consider cultural factors for understanding and developing the Turkish Education System. The study focuses on examining and discussing the relationship between education and culture in a sociological context. The primary method of the study is literature review. The relationship between education and culture, the influence of education on societies, the education systems of societies with different cultures and histories and multiculturalism are discussed to form a whole. Today, the Turkish education system continues to be shaped by the influence of culture. Examples illustrating how culture has shaped the Turkish Education System are provided within the study, discussing the impact of culture on the education system and concluding that the Turkish Education System is influenced by the cultural activities of the past of society.

The aim of this study is to provide information on the purposes, structure and operation of the process of supervision in the Turkish educational system. In this paper, the historical development of supervision services in the Turkish educational system, as well as the purposes and principles of educational supervision in Turkey and the structure of supervision in the Turkish educational system are defined. Moreover, the organization of sub-systems of the Ministry of National Education and that of supervision at elementary schools, hiring supervisors, their training, duties and responsibilities as well as working principles are presented. In addition, a detailed analysis of the supervision of institutions and teachers by supervisors is included.