Apparently, the transformation of tutoring centers will be discussed for a long time. More importantly, however, the actual realization of this transformation, neither the content nor the shape of which is clear yet, will take a much longer time. We are talking about an entrance system that has been set up after the 1970s and a gigantic tutoring sector associated with that system.
As one ponders the functions and the services provided and the current physical/human infrastructures tutoring centers, which have improved themselves day by day and adapted to the market for such a long time; it seems that any transformation plan will require a long time and a high cost.
If there is anything for certain, it is the fact that the system can no longer go on as it had used to be. Therefore, it appears that discussions and arrangements either on tutoring centers or on the reasons giving birth to these schools will be on our agenda in the upcoming years. In parallel, we know that improvements to be made in the education system will take time. Private schools in Turkey have been a field that has needed reform; this reform becomes more urgent now in the frame of the transformation program on tutoring centers.
PRIVATE SCHOOL = FEE-PAID SCHOOL
To tell openly, in Turkey there is no private school in the real sense – except minority schools. All schools are strictly subordinated to the Ministry of Education. Course schedules and curricula of all private schools are subject to the approval of the Board of Education and Discipline. In this respect, fee-paid schools rather than private schools in Turkey are in question. That is to say, we are talking about a private sector that does not substantially differ from public schools as far as education is concerned.
Nowadays, the transformation of tutoring centers into private schools is being discussed. In this discussion, we quite often hear that the demand for private schools is low in Turkey. This is correct. The percentage of students attending private schools is around 3 %- quite low compared to the Western countries. There are various reasons for this. However, I think the most important reason is that private schools in Turkey fail to offer an alternative education program.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE WEST
When we look at the Western Europe and the United States, a flexible arrangement is seen for private schools. For instance, approximately four million of more than five million students attend the schools of Catholic and of other religious groups.
Numbers of enrollments in private schools in Australia are higher than those in the US. For instance, only Catholic schools provide education to almost one fifth of all the students. In the state of New South Wales in Australia, where I visited for the occasion of the Turkish Olympiads last year, 49 of total 449 schools are Catholic schools. In addition to these, there are other schools providing education differently from public schools, one of which is Turkish colleges.
It is possible to multiply examples considering the European countries, such as France and Germany. I should add that a part of private schools in the West are boarding schools for girls or for boys. For instance, Catholic boarding schools for girls are widespread in many countries. Let me add this, too: These schools accept non-Catholic students as well; and since families belonging to other religious groups trust the education quality and moral education in these schools, they prefer to send their children to these schools. There are even Muslim families among them.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?
Today, other minorities in Turkey whose rights are not protected by the Lausanne Treaty have no private schools of their own in order to teach their own religions. There is no private high school officially providing only Islamic education, either.
I said above that boarding schools for girls are widespread in the West. However, in Turkey, the legislation in force is not suitable for est
