Education in Turkey
During the Ottoman empire, education was received from the medrese, part of every mosque
complex, and centered around Koranic instruction. It was available to boys only - girls
were instructed in household skills and crafts from within the harem. Only 10% of the
population were literate.
In
contrast, Ataturk claimed that "our most important duty is to win a victory in the
field of education". He insisted on an educational system that was comprehensive and
inclusive. With his customary insight, he realized that education was the key to the
acceptance of the radical reforms which were being implemented. Primary education was
immediately taken under the jurisdiction of the state and made compulsory and free.
Religious schools were closed and an infrastructure of primary and middle schools was
built up. Universities were established to provide much needed technical and scientific
training.
Today
the educational system is in the midst of a process of expansion, necessary to cope with
educating the youngest population in Europe. In August 1997 compulsory basic education was
extended from five to eight years. It is estimated that over 1,1 million children will
receive three extra years of free basic education as a result. The government aims to
reduce average classroom density from 50 to
30 students by increasing the number of both classrooms and teachers. Increased emphasis
is being placed on the teaching of foreign languages and on computer skills. It is
proposed to increase teachers’pay. These reforms will be financed by increased
taxation and by investment from the IBRD and the World Bank.
Many
private schools, universities and institutes of higher education are being established,
offering excellent standards and facilities. Native speaker are commonly employed to
encourage mastery of foreign languages, in order to underwrite Turkeys' increasingly open
society. Turkish schools, even when struggling with underfunding,display high levels of
staff professionalism and dedication, strong student motivation and parental and community
involvement.
Among
the foreign high schools operating in Turkey are:
Alman Lisesi - Deutsche Schule, Istanbul
American Collegiate Institute, Ozel Izmir Amerikan Lisesi, Izmir
Istanbul International Community School, Istanbul
Lycee Charles De Gaulle, Ankara
Lycee de Galatasaray, Istanbul
Lycee Francais Saint-Benoît, Istanbul
METU Development Foundation School, Ankara
Oesterreichisches St. Georgs-Kolleg, Istanbul
Robert College of Istanbul, Istanbul
TED Ankara Private School, Ankara
Uskudar American Academy, Istanbul
Uskudar Anadolu Lisesi, Istanbul
Higher Education
There are currently 54 universities in Turkey. Students earn places in university through
a two-phase examination (OYS and OSS) held yearly by the Centre for Student Selection and
Placement. Following high school, many young people spend a year studying at private
institutions (ozel dershaneler) in order to pass these exams successfully. For foreigners
who would like to study in Turkey, there is a special examination for which the papers are
given in both English and Turkish, following which they are given a year in which to study
Turkish. During 1991-1992 there were 14,548 foreign students in Turkish universities of
which almost half were from the Turkic republics.
The
list of universities in Turkey is as follows:
Ankara
Ankara University
Bilkent University (private)
Gazi University
Hacettepe University
Middle-East Technical University (ODTU)
Istanbul
Bogazici University
Istanbul Technical University
Marmara University
Mimar Sinan University
Yildiz University
Kadir Has University (private)
Koc University (private)
Yeditepe University (private)
Bilgi University (private)
Izmir
Dokuz Eylul University
Ege University
Izmir High Technology University
Kocaeli
Kocaeli University
Gebze High Technology University
Others
Adana Cukurova University
Afyon Kocatepe University
Antalya Akdeniz University
Aydin Adnan Menderes University
Balikesir Balikesir University
Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University
Bursa Uludag University
Canakkale Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University
Denizli Pamukkale University
Edirne Trakya University
Elazig Firat University
Erzurum Ataturk University
Eskisehir Anadolu University
Gaziantep Gaziantep University
Isparta Suleyman Demirel University
Icel Mersin University
Hatay Mustafa Kemal University
Kahramanmaras Sutcuimam University
Kars Kafkas University
Kayseri Erciyes University
Kirikkale University
Konya Selcuk University
Kutahya Dumlupinar University
Malatya Inonu University
Manisa Celal Bayar University
Mugla Mugla University
Nigde Nigde University
Sakarya Sakarya University
Samsun Ondokuz Mayis University
Sivas Cumhuriyet University
Sanliurfa Harran University
Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University
Trabzon Karadeniz Technical University
Van Yuzuncu Yil University
Zonguldak Karaelmas University.
