Turkey
2016 Report on the State of Citizenship and Human Rights Education in Europe
Questionnaire filled in by the Head of Department of International Organizations of Ministry of National Education in Turkey
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Q1 Would you agree that citizenship and human rights education is a means to address…
a) … violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism?
To a medium extent
b) … integration of migrants and refugees?
To a medium extent
c) … consequences of the economic crisis / austerity measures / social exclusion?
To a great extent
d) … the deficit of democratic participation of both vulnerable and non-vulnerable groups in society with the overall aim of building cohesive and equitable societies?
To a medium extent
Q2 In your country, is priority given to…
a) … EDC/HRE at national government level
To a fair extent
b) … EDC/HRE at local government level
To a fair extent
c) … EDC/HRE at educational institution level (school, college, university)
To a fair extent
d) … supporting training about EDC/HRE for teachers and school leaders
To a fair extent
e) … making resources / materials about EDC/HRE available
To a fair extent
f) … making financial support for EDC/HRE available
To a fair extent /p>
g) … supporting co-operation with NGOs, including youth organisations, in the field of EDC/HRE?
To a fair extent
Further comments
Q3 What is needed for citizenship and human rights education to receive a greater priority in your country?
a) Improved awareness of relevance of EDC/HRE for meeting the current challenges in our societies
To a fair extent
b) Availability of data on effectiveness of EDC/HRE with respect to meeting the current challenges in our societies, including examples of good practice
To a fair extent
c) Advocacy by civil society organisations
To a large extent
d) Advocacy by prominent personalities
To a large extent
e) Increased visibility of EDC/HRE in the media coverage
To a large extent
f) Political will
To a large extent
g) Political pressure from regional and international institutions
Not at all
h) More resources allotted to EDC/HRE
To a fair extent
i) Other
Please specify “other”
Further comments
Q4 In your country, are there any inconsistencies between...
a)…statements of principle (on the value of EDC/HRE in education for all people) and existing education policies?
Not at all
b)…EDC/HRE policies and their implementation in practice?
Not at all
c)…EDC/HRE policies and other policy sectors?
Not at all
Please describe the existing inconsistences:
Further comments
Q5 In your country, have strategic approaches / measures been taken to counter these inconsistencies, since 2012?
If yes, please specify:
If no, please explain why not:
Further comments
Q6 Have concrete measures/activities been taken to promote citizenship and human rights education in your country since 2012, in accordance with the objectives and principles of the Charter? (NB: this includes work done in the framework of the UN World Programme for Human Rights Education and other relevant international programmes and initiatives)
Yes
If yes, please specify:
If no, please explain why not:
Further comments
Q7 Are there any measures/activities planned to promote citizenship and human rights education in your country, in accordance with the aims and objectives of the Charter?
Yes
If yes, please specify:
Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education Project conducted in Turkey. Also the preparation of the new project about democracy and human rights education is carried out by the Directorate General of Basic Education. “Project of Technical Assistance for Promoting Social Inclusion in Densely Roma Populated Areas” (A EU IPA-4 Project) has been conducting in Turkey ( http://siromatr.net/en-us/ ). Furthermore, decision makers, media and NGOs give importance and priority to democratic citizenship and human rights education and they cooperate with each other in order to strengthen and maintain a democratic society. Also there are various platforms such as child and youth councils and school representatives where children and young people have a chance to take a floor in a group and society while taking decision.
If no, please explain why not:
Further comments
Q8 Is the Charter…
a)…available in the language(s) of your country?
Yes
b)…available in the minority language(s) of your country?
No
c)…available on the website of the Ministry of Education or another relevant body?
Yes
d)… disseminated to the target audiences by other means?
Yes
If no, please explain why not:
Further comments
Q9 The Council of Europe has produced a number of tools and resources to promote and support citizenship and human rights education within and across the States Party to the European Cultural Convention. These tools and resources are available at: www.coe.int/en/web/edc/resources and at: www.coe.int/compass (Please indicate the usefulness, in your country, of the following Council of Europe tools and resources.)
a) Charter on EDC/HRE
Moderately used
b) Strategic Support for Decision-makers: Policy Tool for EDC/HRE
Moderately used
c) Democratic Governance of Schools
Moderately used
d) How all Teachers Can Support EDC/HRE: A Framework for the Development of Competencies
Moderately used
d) Quality Assurance of EDC in Schools
Moderately used
e) School-Community-University Partnerships for Sustainable Democracy: EDC in Europe and the US
Moderately used
f) Living Democracy' Manuals for Teachers
Moderately used
g) A Compendium of Good Practice in HRE
Moderately used
h) Compass, manual for human rights education with young people
Moderately used
i) Compasito, manual for human rights education with children
Moderately used
j) Human Rights and Democracy Start with Us – Charter for All
Moderately used
k) Curriculum development and review for democratic citizenship and human rights education
Moderately used
l) Multimedia Material (ex. video “Beat Bullying”, series of cartoons “Democracy and Human Rights at School”, video “Corporal punishment at school : how two parents decided to change things”)
Moderately used
m) “Freedom(s) - Learning activities for secondary schools on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights
Moderately used
Other (please specify: ______)
If these resources were useful, please specify:
If these resources were not useful, please specify:
Further comments
QUESTIONS ON SPECIFIC ARTICLES OF THE CHARTER
SECTION 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 3. Relationship between education for democratic citizenship and human rights education
Q10 Is there a shared working definition of citizenship and human rights education in your country?
Yes
In case if there is no shared working definition of citizenship and human rights education, please explain why not:
Please provide the name of the term in English and in original language as well as its definition and indicate the references and/or web link.
“Democratic citizenship and human rights education” Demokratik Vatandaşlık ve İnsan Hakları Eğitimi projesi “http://www.edchreturkey-eu.coe.int/Description_TU.asp” “http://www.edchreturkey-eu.coe.int/description_EN.asp?”
SECTION 2: OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES
Article 5. Objectives and Principles
Q11 In your country, to what extent do education laws, policies, and strategic objectives explicitly refer to citizenship and human rights education
a) … in formal education at pre-primary, primary and secondary level?
Moderately
b) … in vocational education and training?
Moderately
c) … in higher education?
Not at all
d) … in the training of education personnel?
e) … in youth policy and non-formal education?
Moderately
In case if education laws, policies, and strategic objectives do refer explicitly to EDC/HRE, please specify:
In case if education laws, policies, and strategic objectives do not explicitly refer EDC/HRE, please explain why not:
SECTION 3: POLICIES
Article 6. Formal general and vocational education
Q12 In your country is education for democratic citizenship and human rights promoted as follows in schools and colleges:
a) specific subject matter – obligatory
b) specific subject matter – optional
c) cross-curricula approach
d) whole school approach
Please provide further details including web links where appropriate:
Human Rights, Citizenship and Democracy Course, History, Social Science are the obligatory courses. Democracy and Human Rights Course, Law and Justice Course are optional courses. It is the main goal to train all students as respectfull citizens to democracy and human rights in compliance with fundamental law of national education. So, all other courses serve for this goal by hidden curriculum.
Further comments
Q13 If citizenship and human rights education is included in the curricula in your country, has it been subject to revision and updating since 2012 at...
a) … pre-primary education?
Yes
b) … primary school?
Yes
c) … lower secondary school (including vocational)?
Yes
d) … upper secondary school (including vocational)?
Yes
If no, please explain why not:
Updates and revisions about democratic citizenship and human rights education have been done in order to improve the situation, not because of the challenges. As curriculum development is a dynamics procedure, some revisions have been done.
If yes, then what are/were the key challenges? How will they be / how were they overcome?
To what extent was the revision and updating process inclusive and participatory?
All courses’ curriculum has been reviewed and improved in the context of human rights and discrimination. With the new system of Turkish Board of Education curricula of the courses are examined by experts in educatinal programs and it is open to the public for 15 days for the comments and critics in a web environment and then it is finalized. Besides that, coursebooks are examined by a group of experts chosen randomly among applicants. The group examines the coursebooks in terms of some criteria such as human rights and discrimination.
Further comments
Article 7. Higher education
Q14 To what extent is citizenship and human rights education provision promoted in higher education institutions in your country?
If not at all or scarcely, please explain why:
If extensively, please explain why and provide examples:
Further comments
Article 8. Democratic governance
Q15 In your country, are there any education laws, policies and strategies that promote democratic governance in educational institutions, particularly schools, concerning…
a) … decision making procedures (e.g. governing bodies / school boards)?
Yes
b) … school culture / rules?
Yes
c) … pupil / student participation (e.g. school / student councils)?
Yes
d) … parental / family involvement in schools (e.g. governing bodies / school boards)?
Yes
e) …school / community links (in and out of school)?
Yes
If yes, please specify:
Decision-making processes are carried out by forming various committees consisting of school leaders, vice principles, teachers and schools counselors and students. There are students councils and election of student representatives. Also students may get involved in decision making processes at student councils and during the election of student representative. Furthermore parents are involved in decision making and management processes by parent-teacher associations.
If no, please explain why not:
Further comments
Article 9. Training
Q16 In your country, is there a provision for citizenship and human rights education in initial teacher education, continuing professional development and other types of training for…
a) … teachers?
Yes
b) … school leaders?
Yes
c) … other education staff?
No
d) … youth leaders (in and out of school)?
Yes
e) … teacher trainers / trainers of trainers?
Yes
f) … parents?
Yes
If yes, please specify:
School leaders, teachers are trained about EDC/HRE via in service training. Also, young people and parents are trained through EDC/HRE projects.
If no, please explain why not:
If to some extent, please specify:
Further comments
Provide examples of good practice:
Article 10. Role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), youth organisations and other stakeholders
Q17 To what extent, in your country, is there co-operation and support between the government and the following organisations and groups that foster citizenship and human rights education?
a) Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
b) Youth organisations
c) Community groups
d) Parents' groups
e) Other (please specify: ______)
If not at all or to a little extent, please explain why:
If to a large extent, please explain the factors for success:
Provide examples of good practice:
Further comments
Article 11. Criteria for evaluation
Q18 In your country, have criteria been developed to evaluate the effectiveness of citizenship and human rights education programmes?
No
Further information:
Please provide examples of how these criteria have been developed, reviewed and used:
To what extent have they been useful?
Provide examples of good practice:
Article 12. Research
Q19 In your country, to what extent has research been initiated and promoted on citizenship and human rights education to take stock of the current situation?
If not at all or to a little extent, please explain why:
What needs to be done to obtain stronger support for such research?
Further comments
Article 13. Skills for promoting social cohesion, valuing diversity and handling differences and conflict
Q20 In your country, to what extent are educational approaches and teaching methods promoted that enable pupils/students to acquire competences to…
a) … promote social cohesion?
To a moderate extent
b) … value diversity and equality (particularly between different faiths and ethnic groups)?
To a moderate extent
c) … settle disagreements and conflicts in a non-violent manner?
To a moderate extent
d) … combat all forms of discrimination and violence (especially bullying)?
To a moderate extent
If not at all or to a little extent, please explain why:
What needs to be done to encourage more active promotion of such educational approaches and teaching methods?
Further comments
SECTION 4: EVALUATION AND COOPERATION
Article 14. Evaluation and review
Q21 Has any action been taken or foreseen to evaluate strategies and policies undertaken in accordance with the aims and principles of the Charter?
If not, please explain why not:
If yes, please provide links to the relevant monitoring and evaluation reports:
What were the key conclusions?
Who takes part in the evaluation process?
Example of good practice:
Further comments:
Article 15. Co-operation in follow-up activities
Q22 In your country, have any co-operation activities with other countries been organised or planned in pursuing the aims and principles of the Charter?
If not, please explain why not:
Example of good practice:
What is required to encourage such cooperation activities?
Further comments
Article 16. International and European co-operation
Q23 In your country, is there co-operation and collaboration on citizenship and human rights education with the following organisations / institutions?
a) Council of Europe (CoE)
Yes
b) United Nations system (UN) (including UNESCO and UN OHCHR)
Yes
c) Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
Yes
d) European Union (EU) (including European Commission)
Yes
e) Other international/ European organisations
Please specify 'Other international/ European organisations'
What are your expectations from such cooperation?
To what extent are these expectations met?
How could such cooperation be made more useful?
Further comments
Q24 In what ways is / can the Charter review process be of support to the countries? [Please rank from 1 (not useful)- 5 (very useful)]
a) An encouragement / motivation for stronger action and higher quality
4
b) An opportunity to promote good practice
4
c) A support tool for dialogue with other countries and within the country
3
d) Access to expertise from other countries and from international institutions
3
e) Other
Please specify other
Q25 What are your expectations from the Council of Europe? [Please indicate the current level of satisfaction from 1 (not useful) - 5 (very useful) for each expectation]
a) An encouragement / motivation for stronger action and higher quality
4
b) Opportunities for sharing and cooperation with other countries
4
c) Provision of a shared framework of reference / common standards
3
d) Impetus for dialogue and cooperation within the country
3
e) Authoritative encouragement to ensure respect of commitments
3
f) Technical advice / technical assistance
4
g) Access to the network of key actors in the member states through the Committee of Ministers, Parliamentary Assembly, the Congress of local and regional authorities and the INGO Conference and the HR Commissioner as well as various monitoring bodies (such as ECRI) as a means of raising visibility of EDC/HRE
4
h) Other
Please specify other
Q26 What are the key challenges to the promotion and development of citizenship and human rights education in your country? (Please indicate the level of impact of each challenge)
a) Lack of priority among decision makers (other areas given more priority)
Low impact
b) Lack of awareness/interest/support among education professionals
Low impact
c) Impact of the economic crisis/recession
Low impact
d) Reduction/cuts in funding
Medium impact
e) Decentralised education system
Low impact
f) Changing political context (e.g. change of government)
Low impact
g) Reduction of support networks (NGOs, parent and youth groups etc.)
Low impact
h) Lack of public interest and support
Low impact
i) Lack of media interest and support
Low impact
j) Lack of support from European organisations (Council of Europe, EU etc.)
Low impact
k)Other
Please specify other
Further comments (half a page maximum):
FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONNAIRE
There are plans to repeat this questionnaire in 5 years’ time to get a further sense of the progress of the States Party to the European Cultural Convention in pursuing the aims and principles for citizenship and human rights education promoted by the present Charter. It is also proposed to design the questionnaire focusing on particular areas.
Q27 What particular areas should the follow-up Questionnaire focus on for the next review cycle? (Please indicate the level of priority for each area)
a) Formal general (pre-primary, primary and secondary school) and vocational education
High
b) Higher education
Medium
c) Pre-school education
High
d) Democratic governance of educational institutions
High
e) Training (initial and on-going)
Medium
f) Role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), youth organisations and other stakeholders
Medium
g) Criteria for evaluation
Medium
h) Research
Medium
i) Social cohesion, valuing diversity and handling differences and conflict
Medium
j) Evaluation and review
Medium
k) International and European co-operation
Medium
l) Other
Please specify other
Q28 How can this questionnaire be improved in order to ensure that the data collection is meaningful and useful in terms of encouraging further progress in citizenship and human rights education?
Q29 To what extent the process of preparation of the reply to this questionnaire was constructive and participatory? [Please rank from 1 (poor)- 5 (excellent)]
Further comments:
FOCUS GROUP 2016: PARLIAMENTARIANS
NB: The questions below are to be addressed to the Education Commission in the National Parliament or other similar bodies
Please indicate which body has been contacted
Q30 Would you agree that citizenship and human rights education is a means to address…
a) … violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism?
b) … integration of migrants and refugees?
c) … consequences of the economic crisis / austerity measures / social exclusion?
d) … the deficit of democratic participation of both vulnerable and non-vulnerable groups in society with the overall aim of building cohesive and equitable societies?
Further comments:
Q31 What legislation has been adopted in the last 5 years or is in preparation, with a view to support and promote citizenship and human rights education?
Q32 What are the thematic areas of education of particular concern to your Committee in this respect?
Q33 Do you have any further comments to make not provided elsewhere? If so, please use the space below.
Q34 Further comments on citizenship and human rights education in the country:
Other contributors contacted by the respondent, including representatives of:
1. Ministries:
Ministry of National Education
2. Research institutions:
3. Education professionals:
4. Civil society organisations:
a. Teachers organisations:
b Youth organisations
c Children organisations
d Parents organisations
5. National human rights institutions
6. Parliaments
7. Local and regional authorities
8. International institutions
9. Medias
10. Others
