The education system in Turkey has shownremarkable improvement since 2003 in terms of better studentperformance and reduced inequality with a concurrent andsustained increase in enrollments. The expansion of primaryand secondary schooling was accompanied by the developmentof new curriculum in primary and secondary education,especially since 2004. A recent independent assessment ofthe revised secondary school curriculum regarded it as animprovement over the curriculum used in the past. Curriculumreform was accompanied by initiatives to improve theteaching profession policies. This report finds that most ofthe progress in the education system since 2003 has been theresult of a combination of the overall socioeconomicprogress being made in Turkey and increased effectiveness inthe delivery of education. The Government's educationalpolicies have contributed to the improvements in educationoutcomes including curriculum reform, phased modernizationof teaching and learning materials and practices, strongerfocus on measuring learning outcomes through large scalenational and international assessments, and enhancedmonitoring and evaluation systems. This report continues thework undertaken in the previous World Bank (2011) reportwhich examined a cross section of countries thatparticipated in Program for International Student Assessment(PISA) 2009, and pointed out that the average 15 year old inTurkey is school year behind the average Organization forEconomic Cooperation and Development (OECD) counterpart inreading, math, and science skills. This report will analyzethe evolution of regional and income inequalities in PISAscores, the overall effectiveness of the delivery ofeducation in Turkey, and identify areas on whichpolicymakers can focus to further improve educationaloutcomes. The report pays particular attention to the roleplayed by improved teaching and greater schoolaccountability in improving educational outcomes.
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