Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The Catch-up Education Programme in Turkey: Opportunities and challenges

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Review of Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Turkish children between the ages of 10–14 who either never enrolled in primary education, dropped out of school, or were at least three years behind their peers had the opportunity of joining an accelerated learning programme. It was developed by the Turkish Ministry of National Education General Directorate of Primary Education as a response to the urgent need to secure these children’s right to education. The programme, called “Catch-up Education Programme” (CEP), was implemented between September 2008 and 2013 in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to enable those children to complete several grades in a short time and then to continue their education with their peers. This paper presents the findings of a study, conducted in 2010, reviewing the challenges and opportunities experienced during the implementation process from the points of view of beneficiaries (pupils and parents) and implementers. The results are discussed in relation to educational policy and its implementation in general.

Résumé

Programme de rattrapage scolaire en Turquie : opportunités et défis – Des jeunes turcs âgés de 10 à 14 ans qui soit n’avaient jamais été scolarisés, soit avaient décroché ou accusaient un retard d’au moins trois ans sur leurs pairs, ont reçu l’opportunité de participer à un programme d’enseignement accéléré. Élaboré par la direction générale de l’enseignement primaire au ministère turc de l’éducation nationale, ce programme visait à répondre au besoin urgent de garantir à ces jeunes le droit à l’éducation. Intitulé Programme de rattrapage scolaire, il a été appliqué de septembre 2008 à 2013 en coopération avec le Fonds des Nations Unies pour l’enfance (UNICEF) afin de permettre à ces jeunes de rattraper en peu de temps plusieurs années scolaires, et de poursuivre ensuite leur scolarité avec leurs pairs. Les auteures présentent les conclusions d’une étude menée en 2010 sur les opportunités et défis rencontrés au cours de ce programme, du point de vue des bénéficiaires (élèves et parents) et des responsables. Ces résultats sont analysés par rapport à la politique éducative et à son application globale.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. With Law number 6287, known as “4+4+4”, enacted in April 2011, compulsory education was extended to 12 years.

  2. Turkey has a total of 81 provinces.

  3. During the interviews, multiple explanations were given by respondents for some questions. Each explanation/opinion is counted as a “response” and the number of responses are shown instead of the number of participants (f). This is why the number of “responses” does not indicate the number of participants.

  4. The numbers after quotations refer to the numbers assigned to interviewees for the purpose of confidentiality. All quotations from the interviews were translated by the authors.

  5. e-School is a database which includes (makes every effort to include) all school-eligible children in Turkey.

References

  • Ampiah, J. G., & Adu-Yeboah, C. (2009). Mapping the incidence of school dropouts: A case study of communities in Northern Ghana. Comparative Education, 45(2), 219–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atıcı Arıcan, H., Aydemir, M., Topçu, K., Zaimoğlu Öztürk, F., Akpınar, A. et al. (2010). YSÖP yönerge ve uygulama kılavuzu [CEP directive and implementation handbook]. Ankara: Ministry of National Education. Accessed February 6, 2012, from http://ysop.meb.gov.tr/dosyalar/ysop/Yonerge%20ve%20Kilavuz.pdf.

  • Borg, W. R., & Gall, M. D. (1983). Educational research: An introduction (4th ed.). New York: Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colclough, C., Rose, P. M., & Tembon, M. (2000). Gender inequalities in primary schooling: The roles of poverty and adverse cultural practice. International Journal of Educational Development, 20(1), 5–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dinçer, M. A., & Uysal, G. (2008). The determinants of student achievement in Turkey. International Journal of Educational Development, 30(6), 592–598.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doğan, N., Atıcı Arıcan, H., Ay, M., Topçu, K., & Öztürk, F. (2008). YSÖP öğretmen el kitabı [CEP teachers’ guidebook]. Ankara: Ministry of National Education. Accessed February 6, 2012, from http://ysop.meb.gov.tr/dosyalar/ysop/ogretmenelkitabi.pdf.

  • ERG (Education Reform Initiative). (2011). Catch-up Education Programme. Mid-term review report. Istanbul: Eğitim Reformu Girişimi. Accessed December 8, 2014, from http://erg.sabanciuniv.edu/sites/erg.sabanciuniv.edu/files/YSOP_MidtermReview_EN_14122011_FINAL.pdf.

  • Ginsburg, C., Richter, L. M., Fleish, B., & Norris, S. (2011). An analysis of associations between residential and school mobility and educational outcomes in South African urban children: The birth to twenty cohort. International Journal of Educational Development, 31(3), 213–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1981). Effective evaluation: Improving the usefulness of evaluation results through responsive and naturalistic approaches. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, F. (2008). Dropping out from school: A cross country review of literature. Pathways to access research monograph no. 16. Brighton: Consortium for Research on Educational Access, Transitions and Equity (CREATE), University of Sussex. Accessed February 6, 2012, from http://www.create-rpc.org/pdf_documents/PTA16.pdf.

  • Kanamugire, C., & Rutakamize, J. (2009). The remedial programme for out-of-school and drop-out children in Rwanda. Prospects, 38(2), 237–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kline, R. (2002). A model for improving rural schools: Escuela Nueva in Colombia and Guatemala. Current Issues in Comparative Education, 2(2), 170–181. Accessed February 6, 2012, from http://www.tc.columbia.edu/CICE/Issues/02.02/PDFs/22kline.pdf.

  • Lewin, K. M. (2007). Improving access, equity and transitions in education: Creating a research agenda. Research monograph, No. 1. Accessed February 6, 2012, from http://www.create-rpc.org/pdf_documents/ PTA1.pdf.

  • Lewin, K. M. (2009). Access to education in sub-Saharan Africa: Patterns, problems and possibilities. Comparative Education, 45(2), 151–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MoNE (Ministry of National Education). (2009). MEB 2010–2014 strategic planning. Ankara: MoNE. Accessed January 5, 2015, from http://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/upload/Turkey/Turkey_Ed-Strategic_Plan_2010-2014-tur.pdf.

  • MoNE (2010). National education statistics. Formal education 2009–2010. Ankara: Ministry of National Education.

  • MoNE (2011). National education statistics. Formal education 2010–2011. Ankara: Ministry of National Education.

  • Motala, S., Dieltiens, V., & Sayed, Y. (2009). Physical access to schooling in South Africa: Mapping dropout, repetition and age-grade progression in two districts. Comparative Education, 45(2), 251–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moyi, P. (2010). Household characteristics and delayed school enrollment in Malawi. International Journal of Educational Development, 30(3), 236–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramachandran, V. (2004). Fostering opportunities to learn at an accelerated pace: Why do girls benefit enormously? UNICEF working paper, WP 2(1). Accessed February 6, 2012, from http://www.ungei.org/resources/files/unicef_fosteringopportunities_may11_2005.pdf.

  • Rossi, P. H., & Freeman, H. E. (1993). Evaluation: A systematic approach. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • SPO (State Planning Organization). (2006). Ninth development plan (2007–2013). Ankara: SPO, Office of the Prime Minister. Accessed February 6, 2012, from http://ekutup.dpt.gov.tr/plan/ix/9developmentplan.pdf.

  • SPO (2010). Millenium development goals report Turkey 2010. Ankara: T.R. Prime Ministry Undersecretariat of State Planning Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Timmreck, T. C. (2003). Planning, program development, and evaluation. A handbook for health promotion, aging, and health services (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA; Jones and Bartlett.

  • TUIK (Turkish Statistical Institute). (2014). Adrese Dayalı Nüfus Kayıt Sistemi Sonuçları, 2013. [Address-based population registry results, 2013]. Ankara: Turkish Statistical Institute. Accessed September 5, 2014, from http://www.tuik.gov.tr/PreHaberBultenleri.do?id=15974.

  • UN (United Nations). (2000). United Nations millennium declaration. United Nations General Assembly, Fifty-fifth session, agenda item 60 (b), A/RES/55/2. New York: UN. Accessed December 10, 2014, from http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/55/2.

  • UN (2010). The millennium development goal reports 2010. New York: United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDP (United Nations Development Programme). (2008). Human development report 2000. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Accessed February 6, 2012, from http://www.undp.org.tr/publications Documents/NHDR_Tr.pdf.

  • UNDP (2009). Human development report 2009. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan. Accessed February 6, 2012, from http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2009_EN_Complete.pdf.

  • UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). (2011). The hidden crisis: Armed conflict and education. Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2011. Paris: UNESCO Publishing. Accessed February 6, 2012, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0019/001907/190743e.pdf.

  • UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund). (2009). Promoting quality education for orphans and vulnerable children: A sourcebook of programme experiences in Eastern and Southern Africa. New York: UNICEF. Accessed February 6, 2012, from http://www.unicef.org/education/files/Promoting_Quality_Education_for_Orphans_and_Vulnerable_Children_Programmes_from_Eastern_and_Southern_Africa.pdf.

  • WCEFA (World Conference on Education for All). (1990). World declaration on education for all. Meeting basic learning needs. Accessed December 10, 2014, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0008/000862/086291eb.pdf.

  • YSÖP (Yetiştirici Sınıf Öğretim Programı). (2010). Access to primary education and continuation of 10 years. [İlköğretime erişim ve devamda 10 Yıl]. Turkish Ministry of National Education general directorate of primary education. Accessed February 6, 2012, from http://ysop.meb.gov.tr/dosyalar/erisim%20ve%20devam/erisimvedevamda10yil.pdf.

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Education Reform Initiative (ERI) for the Ministry of National Education General Directorate of Primary Education (MoNE DG-PE) within the scope of the “Children First: Towards Good Governance, Justice and Protection for Children in Turkey” Project, carried out with the technical support of UNICEF-Turkey and the financial support of the European Union. The content in this report solely reflects the opinions of its authors and may not reflect the views of ERI, MoNE DG-PE, UNICEF-Turkey, and/or the European Union.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education, Boğaziçi University, Bebek, Istanbul, 34342, Turkey

    Bengü Börkan, Özlem Ünlühisarcıklı, H. Ayşe Caner & Z. Hande Sart

Authors
  1. Bengü Börkan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Özlem Ünlühisarcıklı
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. Ayşe Caner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Z. Hande Sart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bengü Börkan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Börkan, B., Ünlühisarcıklı, Ö., Caner, H.A. et al. The Catch-up Education Programme in Turkey: Opportunities and challenges. Int Rev Educ 61, 21–41 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-015-9464-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-015-9464-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation