Chapter 13: Turkey: Paradigm Change in Education

Teaching in Turkish schools has long been delivered in a teacher-centred way. The means of assessment also has been traditional, and because the major examinations are used for entry to quality schools and ultimately to universities, they have a powerful backwash effect on the high school curriculum. National results in three subject areas indicate that the Turkish model of teaching is not yielding results comparable with 25 other OECD countries. Current change, led by the Ministry of National Education, is directed to both curriculum and the means of assessment, as well as to teaching methodology. In addition to changes in the school classroom, the Higher Education Council recently instituted wide-ranging reforms in teacher education.