‘An education system like puzzle’

 

Zülal Koçer

 

İSTANBUL -Parents expressed that changes in education curriculum are affecting the psychology of children and added “Our children are used just  like laboratory mouse! They are in a system like puzzle. They are stuck, their future and their country’s future are stuck.”

 

In the last 15 years in Turkey, the education system has experienced an ongoing changes with the application of 4 + 4 + 4 (4 years primary education, first level, 4 years primary education, second level and 4 years secondary education). With this change in education, children have experienced the difficulties in terms of choosing the schools they want to go. While the exam process and the new course subjects draw the development of the children to a different direction, the parents are both victimized and reactive.

 

'The most important problem is the project school’

 

Hülya Şen, one of the parents, who is worried about the future of the students, said that she has two children, one of them studying at university and the other graduated to last grade at high school. Coming from the Ereğli District of Zonguldak to Istanbul, Hülya noted that the most important problem with the changes in the education system is the project schools. Hülya said, "I have moved to Istanbul for the education of my children, and the reason is that I want our children to get a better education."

 

‘Actions were held outside of the high school several times’’

 

Mentioning the problems in Kadıköy Anatolian High School arise because the school has been taken into the project school, Hülya recalled that parents protested the situation outside of the school several times and that the police responded to the parents. Hülya stated that more than half of the teachers were sent to other schools from Kadıköy Anatolian High School and she added that about 50 teachers, who suddenly started to work for the school, faced compliance problems. Hülya highlighted that students and parents paid a heavy price in the project schools, where the disciplinary events experienced the most.

 

'We will have a difficult process'

 

Hülya pointed out that this year she had learned that the building belonged to the high school could not be used because it was an "earthquake risk and old building" and she pointed out that both students and parents would have a much more difficult process with this new situation.Hülya emphasized that she will not give up fighting for her children despite all these problems.

 

'An unfair placement table'

 

Another parent Orkide Kuleli said that her child will start the 10th grade of high school this year. Saying that her child had prepared for entering the High School of Fine Arts for many years, Orkide said her child even had taken additional courses.Orkide, who talked about the preparation process of her child, said, "Talent should be the only criterion but it is not. In conclusion, there is an unfair placement table. My daughter would go to art high school, but the high school held another exam.The children have no chance to pass the talent exam, unless they do your own research and  prepare privately.”

 

‘Teachers don’t know where they will go’ 

 

Orkide, who stated that her daughter was victimized by the sudden project school regulations came into force just after she started to study at Avni Akyol Fine Arts High School, said, "We had searched this high school and then we had chosen it for its teacher staff of this high school.Children didn’t take any lessons for two months due to the changes. The school has been opened but the teachers don’t know where they will go.”

 

'Children cannot develop abstract concepts’

 

One of the parents, Seda Usal stated that her 12-year-old child will start the 7th grade this year. "Children are not able to develop abstract concepts before the age of 13. The concepts of God and religion are abstract, but they are taught since the third year of primary school, and the education system is very problematic and causes great difficulties," Seda said.

 

Concerns about 'jihad' in new curriculum

 

Stating that she is worried about the jihad being written in the new curriculum, Seda said, "Although they tell us that they make it soft but the jihad is a war. We are teaching war to children, in fact we shouldn’t it should. When the school was opened last year, the children were subjected to propaganda about 15 July for a week. I don’t want my daughter see this savagery.”