The computer lab is well-equipped, foreign language instruction is not just a distant possibility, but almost an everyday reality. However, there are two issues which urgently need to be addressed.
International commentators seldom experience the inner workings of their chosen host nation’s educational system first-hand. Unless they work in the profession themselves or have brought their children to live with them, information about everyday routines at schools and universities is hard to come by. Similar to most other countries, Turkish primary and secondary schools do not normally open their doors to the non-parent community, and very few employ a media liaison officer.
Being a father allows me to take the liberty to ask questions. And there are two things which, as far as I am concerned, are no longer in sync with today’s 21st-century Republic of Turkey.
First, the twice-weekly morning assemblies at Turkish schools which include the pledge of allegiance to the nation. This was perhaps the result of well-intentioned educational experts but they were experts from a different era, a different reality. This should be abolished before the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.
More than the wording may raise some eyebrows in Turkey, which is by now civilian-led and democratic. But what surprised me even more was the militaristic tone with which a young student was welcomed and forced by all the other children to repeat what she said at the beginning of the semester.
I felt sad for the young student who gave her best to please her teachers, but it is surely not her fault. She grew up in this system; if she had brothers and sisters, they would have grown up in the same system. She simply does what she thinks is expected of her.
Neither do I challenge my daughter’s teachers for doing something wrong. It is how they were brought up and so they continue to pass on what they believe is right.
But some of their practices are simply not correct. A school is not a military barrack, period.
Second, after reading my daughter’s school textbooks, one would be forgiven to think that the entire world consists of one single nation: Turkey. Even worse, some of her math homework depicted a map of Turkey. The task was to count various distances between cities so as to learn addition. The left side of the map was filled with towns and cities but the right side (divided, roughly speaking, along an imaginary line stretching from Samsun to Antalya) was void. How can a child learn about inclusion and the fact that Trabzon, Van and Mardin also belong to Turkey when schoolbooks either negligently or manipulatively leave out half of the country?
Needless to say, certain historic information is cleverly included in the most obscure places so as to remind students about how perfect everything was nearly nine decades ago. I am in no position to judge whether or not it was perfect; that is a task for historians and not today’s journalists or politicians. However, today’s politicians and the Ministry of Education would be well-advised to reprint textbooks to bring them in line with the achievements of the republic as seen from today -- and not just present a snapshot taken many decades ago.
History books should cover Turkey’s history from its inception to the last general elections. Social science books should address topics relevant to today, not yesteryear. Math books should be about math, not politics.
Ankara might consider to kick-start its own educational “acquis communautaire” in 2012, similar to the EU acquis -- the Ankara criteria, so to speak.
Of course I will continue to support my daughter’s teachers in all their efforts to help her learn about Turkey and the world. They do a great job. If only the Ministry of Education would overcome its hesitations and take two bold steps. Above all else, future generations of aspiring Turkish children will thank the government for looking ahead, not back.
