Turkey’s Back to School Blues: 1 in 5 Children Trapped in Crushing Poverty
Turkey’s Education Crisis: Rising Costs and Child Poverty
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Buğra Gökce, the head of the Istanbul Planning Agency (IPA), highlighted the struggles faced by Turkish families as the new school year begins. According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), annual inflation in August reached 51.9 percent, while education costs increased by 120 percent.
The new academic year begins: Education costs weigh on parents.
According to TUIK data, annual inflation was 51.9 per cent in August, while education expenditure broke a record and increased by 120 per cent.
According to the data, basic students… @ipaistanbul pic.twitter.com/wFQ01zsEil
-Dr. Buğra Gökce (@gokcebugra) September 8, 2024
Gökce pointed out that the cost of basic stationery for students increased by 71.9 percent, the cost of school clothing rose by 62.5 percent, and the cost of starting school increased by 64.9 percent.
With 17.5 million students in formal education, the Turkish education system is facing significant challenges. The Turkish Ministry of Education (MEB) reports that 60,734 educational institutions are run by the state, while 14,281 are private.
Gökce noted that the share of private schools among all institutions has reached 19 percent for the first time in the country’s history, indicating a shift towards market-driven education.
Furthermore, 442,643 students are outside the formal education system, despite compulsory education laws. Gökce emphasized that the lack of enforcement of administrative fines or prison sentences for parents who do not send their children to school exacerbates this issue.
Child labor force participation has also increased in recent years, with the labor force participation rate for 15-17 year olds rising from 16.2 percent in 2020 to 22.1 percent in 2023.
According to TÜİK data, the number of child laborers is estimated to be over two million, with 853,000 officially reported. The Labor Occupational Safety and Health Council (İSİG) reported that 695 child laborers died while working between 2013 and 2024.
Turkey ranks first among OECD countries in child poverty, highlighting the need for increased investment in education. However, the Ministry of Education’s budget allocation for investment has decreased from 17 percent in 2002 to nine percent in 2023.
Gökce concluded that the expenditure on education must increase to address the growing education crisis in Turkey.