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Education in Turkey facts for kids

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Education in Turkey follows a national system. This system was created after the Turkish War of Independence. It was part of the Atatürk Reforms. In Turkey, going to school is required for 12 years.

Learning in Primary School

Primary school in Turkey is called İlköğretim Okulu. It lasts for 8 years. Kids usually attend primary school from age 6 to 14.

In the first three grades, students learn four main subjects. These are Turkish, Math, Hayat Bilgisi (which means "Life Knowledge"), and a Foreign Language. In the fourth grade, "Hayat Bilgisi" changes to Science and Social Studies. The foreign language taught can be different at each school.

In the sixth and seventh grades, there are five main subjects. These include Turkish, Math, Science, Social Studies, and a Foreign Language. By the eighth grade, Social Studies is replaced by history and citizenship.

Exploring Secondary School

Secondary education is also known as High School or Lise. It includes all types of schools after primary school. These can be general, vocational, or technical schools. They all provide at least three years of education.

Secondary education helps students gain good knowledge. It also gets them ready for higher education, like university. High school also prepares students for jobs and life in general.

To get into most high schools in Turkey, students must take an examination. This test is set by the Ministry of Education. At the end of 12th grade, students take a "high school finishing examination." They need to pass this test. Passing allows them to take University entrance examinations. These exams are needed to attend a university.

Going to University

It is not required to attend a university in Turkey. However, many students choose to continue their education.

By 2011, Turkey had 166 universities. To get into most universities, students must take a national exam called ÖSYS. After taking this exam, high school graduates are placed into universities. Their placement depends on how well they did on the test. One exception is the Open Education Faculty at Anadolu University. This faculty does not require the ÖSYS exam for entrance.

Images for kids

  • Uludag-PSİ-2007 ing

    A class at Uludağ University in Bursa. Many staff at top Turkish universities are women.

  • Beyazıt State Library (14667026514)

    Beyazıt State Library was started in 1884.

  • Beyazıt State Library (14482650560)

    Beyazıt State Library was started in 1884.

  • Beyazit1900

    Istanbul University is the oldest university in Turkey.

  • Mithatpaşa Kız Ortaokulu, 1920'ler

    Mithatpaşa Primary School (1920s) for girls during the Ottoman Empire.

  • Fener Rum Lisesi

    Phanar Greek Orthodox College is a Greek minority school. It was founded in the Ottoman Empire in 1454.

  • Literacy-1924-Turkey

    Literacy rates in Turkey before the language reform (1927). Today, the literacy rate is 98.3%.

  • Exterior view of Kuleli Askeri Lisesi from the Bosphorus (2)

    Kuleli Military High School in Istanbul near the Bosphorus.

  • Namık kemal lisesi

    Namık Kemal Lisesi in İzmir.

  • RobertCollegeGouldHall1

    Robert College in Istanbul.

  • Beşiktaş Anadolu Lisesi Önü

    Beşiktaş Anatolian High School in Istanbul.

  • Istanbul Erkek Lisesi

    Istanbul High School (Istanbul Erkek Lisesi in Turkish) was founded in 1886.

  • ITU-Lecture-Hall

    Lecture Hall at the Ayazağa campus of Istanbul Technical University.

  • Haydarpasa campus general

    Haydarpaşa campus of Marmara University in Istanbul. It was once the Imperial College of Medicine.

  • Millet Kütüphanesi

    Presidential Library is the largest library in Ankara. It has over four million books.

  • Main entrance gate of Istanbul University

    Main entrance gate of Istanbul University.

  • Bosphorus University

    The former Robert College building on South Campus of Boğaziçi Üniversitesi, İstanbul.

  • Sunset at Santral Istanbul

    SantralIstanbul is a complex with an amphitheater, concert halls, and a public library. It is part of Istanbul Bilgi University Campus in Istanbul.

  • MiddleEastTechnicalUniversity2003SpringFestival800x560

    Students of Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Ankara.

  • MiddleEastTechnicalUniversityCampus800x470

    Middle East Technical University campus.

  • Robert College (14243596745)

    Robert College was founded in 1863 in Istanbul. Today, it is a leading private school.

  • Konya.Turkish.building

    Ince Minaret Medrese is a 13th-century Islamic school in Konya. It is now a museum.

  • Erzurum Cifte Minareli Sunrise

    Çifte Minareli Medrese is an old theological school in Erzurum. It was built before 1265.

  • Şemsi Pasha Mosque-madrasa

    Şemsi Pasha Mosque and medrese (Islamic school) were built by Mimar Sinan in 1580. He was a very important architect of the Ottoman Empire.

  • Galatasaray University seen from the sea

    Galatasaray University and Galatasaray High School teach in French.

  • Atatürk schoolroom wall

    A Turkish flag, a portrait of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the national anthem, and Atatürk's speech to youth on a classroom wall.

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